Good Intentions Are Not Enough, say 67 anti-poverty organisations

Published: Thursday, August 19, 2010

One month ahead of crucial UN Summit, NGOs urge the Government to publish a plan to deliver on Ireland's aid commitments.

The 67 anti-poverty groups and NGOs in the "Act Now on 2015" campaign have called on the Government to urgently publish a plan for meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight internationally agreed targets to reduce global poverty and disease by 2015.

"In exactly one month's time, An Taoiseach Brian Cowen will step onto the podium at the UN, to outline Ireland's track record in the fight against extreme poverty. There are many reasons to be proud of our high-quality aid programme. But unfortunately, it is weakened by the absence of a clear plan for its long-term future" said Hans Zomer, Director of Dóchas, and Chairperson of the campaign.

The coalition of domestic anti-poverty groups, trade unions and aid agencies point to the fact that the Government has yet to publish its action plan on delivering on its aid commitments.

"It is important that Ireland presents more than good intentions to the United Nations. We are calling on the Government to publish, ahead of the Summit, its year-on-year benchmarks for the achievement of the UN and EU targets of spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid" said Mr. Zomer.

The NGOs in the campaign say that the UN Secretary General has pointed out that, if we are to end extreme poverty, it is vital that all countries, rich and poor alike, deliver on the promises they have made.

"Europe's leaders have frequently reiterated a promise to the world's poorest people that they will not stand idly by when so many people die needlessly of preventable diseases and hunger. Now is the time to deliver on those promises," said Justin Kilcullen, Director of Trócaire and President of the EU-wide NGO umbrella organisation CONCORD.

"Ireland now has an opportunity to be part of an ambitious action plan to deliver the Millennium Development Goals to tackle global poverty. The government should publish its own action plan showing how it will deliver on its aid promise over the next five years," said Hans Zomer.

The "Act Now on 2015" campaign is calling on the government to announce binding annual targets to achieve 0.7% by 2015 at the latest and enact legislation to guarantee Ireland's aid commitment.
ENDS

Contacts:
Hans Zomer, Director, Dóchas, and campaign Chairperson. tel. 085 728 3258 / 01 405 3801
Eamonn Casey, Policy Officer, Dóchas. Tel. 087 950 6222 / 01 405 3801

Notes for the Editor:

- About the aid promises:
o At the UN Millennium Summit, then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern committed Ireland to reaching the UN target for spending 0.7% of our GNP on overseas aid by 2007.
o In 2005, the target date was revised to 2012. The government set interim targets "against which our progress towards the target can be measured".
o The Government announced in December 2009 that it had postponed the 0.7% target yet again, this time until 2015.
o Ireland's aid budget currently stands at €671m.

- For further information about the "Act Now on 2015" campaign, visit www.actnow2015.ie

- The "Act Now on 2015" campaign is coordinated by Dóchas, an umbrella group of 45 Irish Development NGOs, and supported by the following organisations:
1. 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World
2. ActionAid Ireland
3. Afri
4. Africa Centre
5. Age Action Ireland
6. Amawele
7. Amnesty International Ireland
8. A-Z Children's Charity
9. Bóthar
10. Camara
11. Centre for Global Education
12. Childfund Ireland
13. Children in Crossfire
14. Christian Aid Ireland
15. CBM Ireland
16. Church Missionary Society Ireland (CMSI)
17. Comhlámh
18. Concern Worldwide
19. Debt and Development Coalition
20. Development Perspectives
21. Dóchas
22. ESB ElectricAid
23. Foundation Nepal
24. Friends of Londiani
25. Frontline Defenders
26. Galway One World Centre (GOWC)
27. Gorta
28. Habitat for Humanity Ireland
29. Hope Foundation
30. Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU)
31. Irish Council for International Students (ICOS)
32. Irish Development Education Association (IDEA)
33. Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA)
34. Irish League of Credit Unions Foundation (ILCUF)
35. Irish Missionary Union (IMU)
36. Irish Red Cross
37. International Service Ireland (ISI)
38. Just Forests
39. Kerry Action for Development Education (KADE)
40. Kimmage DSC
41. Link Community Development
42. Misean Cara
43. National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI)
44. National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI)
45. Niall Mellon Township Trust
46. Oxfam Ireland
47. Plan Ireland
48. Sierra Leone Ireland Partnership
49. Sightsavers International Ireland
50. Skillshare International Ireland
51. Social Justice Ireland
52. Sports Against Racism Ireland (SARI)
53. Suas Educational Development
54. Tearfund
55. The One Fountation
56. The SCOOP Foundation
57. The Society of St. Vincent De Paul, Ireland
58. Transparency International Ireland
59. Trócaire
60. Value Added in Africa
61. Viatores Christi
62. Vita
63. Voluntary Service International (VSI)
64. Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)
65. Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMM)
66. War on Want Northern Ireland
67. World Vision Ireland