Madam, - Ireland's commitment to the world's poor has long been a source of national pride and international respect. At the UN Millennium Summit in New York in 2000 the Taoiseach announced, on behalf of the Irish people, the Government decision to spend 0.7 per cent of GNP on aid by 2007.
That commitment was warmly welcomed internationally and helped rally support among other rich countries for the Millennium Development Goals, which aim to halve world poverty by 2015. Following Ireland's lead, a further five countries gave a date for achievement of this UN target of 0.7 per cent.
We are dismayed therefore, that the Irish Government has now declared that it will not meet the 0.7 per cent UN target by 2007.
In September next year, all countries will be held to account for their contributions to achieving the Millennium Development Goals at the reconvened UN Summit. We are gravely concerned that Ireland's broken promise will precipitate a reversal of commitments by other rich nations and do profound damage to Ireland's international reputation.
We urge the Government to use Budget Day, which is also World Aids Day (December 1st), to name a target date and outline how we will reach that date. We made our commitment; we must keep our word. - Yours, etc.,
+ ROBERT ARMAGH, Primate of All Ireland;
ERIC CONROY, General Secretary,Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed;
DEIRDRE CARROLL, General Secretary, NAMHI;
MARY CUNNINGHAM, Director, National Youth Council of Ireland;
LIAM DORAN, General Secretary, Irish Nurses Organisation;
+JOHN DUBLIN, Archbishop of Dublin;
ROBIN HANAN, Coordinator, European Anti-Poverty Network, Ireland;
Very Rev DESMOND HARMAN, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral;
Fr SEAN HEALY, CORI Justice Commission;
KENNETH KEARON, Director, Irish School of Ecumenics, TCD;
MARY KEOGH, Director, Forum of People with Disabilities;
Bishop JOHN KIRBY, Clonfert Diocese;
Prof BRIGID LAFFAN, Dublin European Institute;
MARY LAWLOR, Director, Front Line;
Prof ENDA McDONAGH, NUI Maynooth;
PETER McLOONE, General Secretary, IMPACT;
Right Rev KENNETH NEWELL, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland;
JACK O'CONNOR, General President, SIPTU;
PETER O'MAHONY, CEO, Irish Refugee Council;
BRIAN O'REILLY, National President, Society of St Vincent de Paul;
SEAN REGAN, National Co-ordinator, Community Workers' Co-operative;
Prof WILLIAM SCHABAS, Director, Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway;
JOHN WHITE, Acting General Secretary, ASTI.