Madam, – The present dispute about whether, because of the economic tsunami, Ireland is justified in cutting overseas aid evokes a historic parallel. This is the controversy in Britain, in early 1946, seven months after the end of the war, over whether food should be sent to aid the starving Germans. This was at a time when the average British consumption was about 2,800 calories a day, the equivalent of about 60 per cent of the present Irish figure.
At the time, George Orwell wrote: “If we raise our own rations, we should be doing so while famine descends on Europe. If we do decide to do this , at least let the issues be plainly discussed and let the photographs of starving children be well publicised in the press, so that the people of this country may realise what they are doing.”
Happily, the British made the decision to give up some of their food to the Germans. The Irish should take the equivalent decision now. – Yours, etc,