Dear Taoiseach
“In the coming days, you and your colleagues will be making some very difficult decisions.
If they are to be acceptable to the Irish public, those decisions must be guided by the principles of fairness and equity. We write to you, on behalf of over 1,000,000 supporters in Ireland, to urge you to apply these principles in protecting the world’s poorest people from a crisis they did not create…”
Cuts to Ireland's aid programme
These are the opening comments in a letter to Taoiseach Brian Cowen about cuts to Ireland’s overseas aid programme. The letter has been sent by Concern and many other Irish non-governmental organisations.
You can read the full letter here. What do you think? Please comment below.
Significant cuts already
It continues: “Taoiseach, in recognition of the significant cuts already made, we urge you to ensure that the overseas aid budget is protected from further cuts.
We urge you not to turn our backs on the world’s poorest people.”
Please comment
What do you think of this? Please leave your comments below.
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Comments
Forget about art - worry about the poor
cowen should pay more attention to these types of issues and spend less time arresting pranksters that hang funny pictures of him in art galleries.
No to cuts
If we get a pay cut we can't buy a new car. if aid is cut again to the poor overseas than millions of people are in danger of starving. the celtic tiger is dead, but our humanity doesn't have to go with it.
Open your eyes lads
this will have a long term affect on the developing world. and in the end it will indirectly aaffect the so-called developed world anyway. short sighted approach by an irish government that is permanently staring at its naval.
I agree - its time we
I agree - its time we started looking at this economic crisis from a wider perspective! Ireland shouldn't be afraid to be a world leader in standing up for the poor.
Well done!
Good to see a campaign being mounted on this as it's such an important issue. I'll be emailing my TDs and Senators personally too, and hope other people will also.
I agree with Robbyn
I agree with Robbyn (above) - the amount of money we waste in this country and we'd hardly miss it, but if we send it to the developing world it can mean the difference between life and death, kids getting educated or having to work in dangerous situations, people having real livelihoods that they can support themselves instead of having to depend on our 'charity' in the future. If we really care about Global Justice this is CRUCIAL. We might be suffering a recession but we are still one of the richest countries in the world.
Charity may begin at home, but it doesn't end there...
Charity may begin at home, but it certainly doesn't end there – and I don't think it ever has...Ireland has a long history of charitable giving – a history we can and should be proud of. From our missionary past to the wide range of partnerships that exist today between Ireland and developing countries, we can and should show the best of ourselves through our public and political commitments to tackle global poverty. The upcoming budget will be a real test of our political commitment to the world's poorest. We must hope our government keeps its promises and protects the most vulnerable. To do any less will be a failure on all our parts.
wake up!
come on brian cowen and the other TDs - wake up! most of your budget cuts are short-sighted, aid cuts are no exception. SHort sighted and false economy in the long run. typical of this government.
Appreciate that there are
Appreciate that there are lots of competing prioirites for governent spending - but please don't cut the easy budget - People in the developing world need our help more than ever...........
I am a middle class person
I am a middle class person living in Arunachal Pradesh of Country India hardly earn for a my family to serve, alway dreamt about the poor people who sleep empty stomach for a day or night. I thinking about them how they will be improve their living standard, but I am sorry to feel that how I can help them because I am too fall in this poor category but I alway prayer for them and myself.
come on brian cowen and the
come on brian cowen and the other TDs - wake up! most of your budget cuts are short-sighted, aid cuts are no exception . SHort sighted and false economy in the long run. typical of this government.
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