Ruairi Quinn Opens Labour Youth Conference

national | miscellaneous | press release

Saturday November 20, 2004 15:58

by Jp

FF & PDS PLAYED POLITICS WITH WORLD'S POOR

Speaking at the opening of the Labour Youth Annual Conference in the Mansion House, Dublin, this evening, Labour Party Spokesperson on European Affairs and Deputy for Dublin South East, Ruairi Quinn, described the Government's decision to abandon the 0.7% of GNP commitment for overseas development assistance as "a reprehensible u-turn on a commitment given to the world's poorest people."
Deputy Quinn commented, "Ireland's international reputation is in tatters with this decision. It makes the original announcement by the Taoiseach, solemnly expressed at the Millennium Summit of the United Nations in New York four years ago, as nothing more than a cynical ploy to win African votes for a seat on the Security Council.
"Arguably, the commitment to 0.7% was the key factor in winning that Security Council seat. Back then, Ireland and Norway did not expect a contest for the two European seats available for the 2000-2002 term on the Council. However, the decision of the Italians to seek a seat meant that an election was required.
"With the Norwegians consistently exceeding 0.7% of GNP for ODA, the Fianna Fail/PD Government knew that by similarly committing to this target they would have the upper-hand on the Italians for votes from developing countries. And so it turned out, with Ireland comfortably securing a seat.
"Ireland's international reputation and prestige was boosted by our term on the Security Council. However, now that that and our Presidency of the EU are out of the way, true to form Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats have dumped it as though it was little more than a pre-election promise which works to get them into power but is never heard of again.
"At a time when we are being reminded of the work of Irish people like Bono and Bob Geldof in helping the world's poorest, it is absolutely shameful that our Government can drop this policy so casually.
"Quite simply, Fianna Fail and the PDs played politics with poverty."

http://www.labour.ie/youth/policy/index/20041116175957.html

http://www.labour.ie/youth