Madam, - Contrary to the Department of Finance's statement of last November, government finances are, in fact, very healthy.
Tuesday's announcement of an Exchequer surplus of €430 million confirms this, and, therefore, eliminates any argument for not meeting our international aid commitment.
Despite the Taoiseach's repeated promise to spend 0.7 per cent of national income on overseas aid by the year 2007, this budget has stagnated at 0.41 per cent for three years.
The Government now has the opportunity to make up the ground lost over the last three years and make good on its promises to the world's poorest people. It is an opportunity not to be lost. - Yours, etc.,
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HANS ZOMER, Director, Dóchas, Harcourt Street, Dublin 2.