The Tánaiste insisted that the Government has not backed down on its commitment to overseas development aid, writes Michael O'Regan.
Insisting that no Government decision had been made on the issue, Ms Harney said: "It took a decision prior to the Taoiseach's announcement at the UN in 2000 that we were committing ourselves to reaching that target."
She was responding to opposition pressure to clarify the Government's position following remarks by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Conor Lenihan, that a commitment to reach 0.7 per cent of GNP for overseas development by 2007 might not be honoured by then.
The Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, said the UN's Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, would be in Ireland today. "I am not sure if he has been following this debate, but he will probably be thanking the Government for its commitment to 0.7 per cent of GNP by 2007, clearly made by Cabinet decision."
He added that the Taoiseach was away, "handing out sweets to children in Vietnam, which is very laudable, while at home the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs is busy telling us that, in effect, the Taoiseach was fibbing and that the commitment was not a commitment at all but some kind of wish on his part".
He claimed that Mr Lenihan was "also implying the Taoiseach misled the UN by appearing to give leadership regarding overseas development aid so we could secure a seat on the UN Security Council".
Ms Harney said the Taoiseach was making commitments on the basis of a Government decision. "That decision has not been reneged on and has not been changed."
The Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said the Taoiseach had given a solemn commitment at the UN summit in 2000 that the target would be met by 2007.
He said that at Tuesday's meeting of the foreign affairs committee there had been all-party support for the timeframe to be reinstated and alarm was expressed at the manner in which the matter was being handled by a Minister of State "admittedly still wet behind the ears". He asked if Ms Harney had been consulted on this and if the Cabinet had agreed to depart from the target established and policed by the former junior minister, Ms Liz O'Donnell.
"The target was let slip since. Are the poor and hungry of the developing world now to be the subject of the latest cut by this Government in spite of a solemn commitment on which the Taoiseach campaigned across the world for votes from the African states to have this country elected to the Security Council?"
Ms Harney said the amount allocated had increased from €142 million to €0.5 billion annually since Mr Rabbitte was in office. "The Government remains committed to substantially increasing our overseas development aid and to the poorest countries of the world."
Mr Rabbitte said he knew Ireland ranked among the European states in terms of the State's contribution and ought to be proud of it. "There are particular historical reasons why this is appropriate for Ireland. Is the Government re-dedicating itself to the timeframe for the achievement of our goal in this regard?"