Madam, – We must enthusiastically welcome the decision of the Government to conduct a review of the White Paper on international aid, published in 2006.
Enda Kenny and his new Cabinet have taken a sensible and very necessary step to ensure that Irish taxpayers are getting value for money in the critical area of assistance to the poorest on the planet.
A review of the way the Department of Foreign Affairs spends its €690 million allocation is long overdue. The Irish people have never been in favour of channelling multi-millions of euros through governments that are proven to be corrupt and brutal.
Hopefully this independent review will establish conclusively that there are better ways of reaching the poor with our cash, than by trusting corrupt governments to do the job. – Yours, etc,