The main achievement of the WTO meeting in Hong Kong was a package of trade and aid measures intended to help the poorest countries, many of whom have been reluctant to support the current Doha round of trade talks.
The deal was given a qualified welcome last night by Minister of State for Development Cooperation and Human Rights, Mr Conor Lenihan.
"While I welcome the progress that has been made I think it could have been a more complete deal," Mr Lenihan said.
"Negotiations will continue next year, however, and by the end of 2006 I am hopeful that the position of the poorest countries will be further enhanced as the round comes to completion."
Among the measures agreed in Hong Kong was a commitment to provide up to €14 billion in so-called "aid for trade" to help less developed countries build the infrastructure necessary to improve exports.
Mr Lenihan said that Ireland would donate two per cent of its overseas development aid toward the programme by 2010.
In addition to increasing technical aid, rich nations agreed to remove most of their restrictions on imports from least developed countries.
However, the US refused to eliminate tariffs on textiles imports from Bangladesh and Cambodia, saying they were too competitive.
It also fought off demands that it rapidly eliminate annual subsidies of more than $4 billion (€3.3 billion) to its cotton farmers, which poor west-African countries say are driving their producers out of business.
(Additional reporting by Financial Times Service, Reuters)
