Minister of State Conor Lenihan was accused yesterday of sending mixed signals about Ireland's continuing development aid programme in Ethiopia.
Mr Lenihan was speaking at the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs which is looking at the current situation in Ethiopia where Ireland funds wide-ranging programmes for the poor but the human rights record is being questioned.
The Minister said Ireland's aid, €35 million last year, focused on addressing the basic needs of the rural poor, supporting local authorities providing health, education, water and other services.
After elections in May 2005, demonstrations turned violent. Most of the leadership of the largest opposition party, journalists and activists were arrested.
There was serious concern about the forthcoming trial of the 131 opposition leaders and others for treason and genocide. The border dispute with Eritrea was ongoing.
The Minister said no Irish aid money went directly to the Ethiopian government via direct or general budget support. He intended to keep Ireland's aid programme to Ethiopia under constant review.
Developments would influence the future development co-operation between Ireland and Ethiopia.
"I can assure the committee that if the circumstances so dictate we are prepared to take unpalatable decisions. But given the stakes - the welfare of some of Africa's most vulnerable people - I make no excuses for taking a careful and measured approach," he said.
Liz O'Donnell TD (PDs) accused the Minister of giving mixed signals. Was he saying for instance that aid would be cut if he were not happy with the trial? An ultimate decision to cut would have such drastic consequences for the poor in Ethiopia.
The Minister said: "Our focus is on the poorest of the poor and we do not take precipitous action. The issue of discontinuing aid would need to be akin to the situation that arose in Sudan where aid was withdrawn."
Michael D Higgins TD (Lab) said withdrawing aid would not be just unpalatable but unacceptable.
Earlier, Noel McDonagh of the aid agency Self-Help Development International said aid should not be withdrawn. It would put at risk the future and welfare of the people who needed it. It also risked a hardening of the regime and retaliatory action against NGOs.