Sir, - If sending Irish skilled personnel to developing countries was the only effort being made to help in the development process then the strictures contained in Nuala O'Faolain's article (April 13th) would indeed constitute a fair criticism of our current approach to the issue of development. However, it should be pointed out that Irish people going overseas to assist in the development of countries very much poorer than our own is only part of the Irish collaboration with, and contribution to, third world countries.
As was stated in Ms O'Faolain's article and the Comhlamh programme on television. "We Still Want You But . . .", there is a need for a new approach to be undertaken by the countries of the North concerning those of the South. We must listen carefully to the people of the developing world and hear what they want of us and what they do not want of us. Such a genuinely collaborative approach to the provision of development aid is already happening. While it is right and necessary to scrutinise current aid practices and question the rationale and effectiveness of such assistance, it is also important to recognise that many skilled Irish men and women are currently helping to meet needs identified by local organisations in the developing countries. Their work is not based on decisions made here in Ireland or indeed elsewhere in the developed world.
Needs are changing in the developing world as are the responses from countries such as Ireland and what we have to ensure is that the process of development aid continues to be driven by the demands and the decisions of the organisations and the peoples of the developing world. In the past we have been accused of telling people in the developing world what they need. It would be unfortunate if today we were to become every bit as expert in telling them what they don't need. - Yours, etc., chairman,
APSO,
Fitzwilliam Square,
Dublin 2.