Sir, - The controversy surrounding the amount of Irish taxpayers' money which should be allocated for development aid has afforded an opportunity to focus on the totality of Irish aid.
Generous to a fault, the Irish population are entitled to know what percentage of the total aid budget of £140 million actually reaches the poor. I suspect the revelations will create shock waves in the community.
Value for money should be an essential prerequisite in our aid budget. But is it? Indeed there is mounting evidence to suggest that the Government is not representing the overwhelming will of the people in the manner in which it dispenses our taxes to the poor.
I believe the people of the Third World would benefit from the following Government decisions.
Expand the Cabinet to include a Minister for Third World aid.
Conduct an independent review into the Irish aid budget.
Appoint an independent monitor to ensure that our taxes are used only to aid those in greatest need. - Yours, etc., John O'Shea,
GOAL, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.