Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said this afternoon he felt "no pressure" to follow through on his pledge to donate 0.7 per cent of GNP to overseas aid in spite of the Live 8 concerts and the MakePovertyHistory rally in Dublin last Thursday.
Mr Ahern was speaking at a press conference in Dublin along with the Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin who is on an official visit to Ireland.
The two leaders held meetings this morning in which they discussed Ireland-Canada relations and the upcoming G8 summit.
Mr Ahern said he welcomed the debate on foreign aid. "I don’t feel any pressure. I’m very proud of what we’re giving. It would be impossible to achieve 0.7 per cent in the next two years. Most people don’t realise that we’re giving €565 million this year in aid."
The Canadian prime minister said the Live 8 concerts were a "great idea." Mr Martin said: "The concerts have focused public attention on the necessity of finding a solution to world poverty. It is now up to us leaders to respond."
Mr Martin added that he would also be making a "forceful" point to US President George W. Bush at the G8 summit about the importance of addressing the risks of climate change.
Mr Ahern thanked Mr Martin for his support for the International Fund for Ireland and for the significant contribution Canada has made to the peace process in Northern Ireland. He also praised the work undertaken by General John de Chastelain.
Speaking in English and in French, Mr Martin thanked Irish people for their support during the Air India air disaster in 1985 and during the more recent tragedy aboard the Canadian submarine HMCS Chicoutimi, which caught fire off the north coast of Ireland last October.