|  | | Press Section | | | | September 2009 | | | We Don't Care Less | | | | | | Today, Ireland’s aid agencies called on the government to 'get back on track' with its overseas aid promise to reach the 0.7% GDP target by 2012. | | | Gathering outside the Department of Finance, 222 people representing the €222 million cut from the Irish aid budget this year, declared that, even in difficult economic times, we do care about the poorest people of our world.
Ensure that Ireland keeps its aid promise: 0.7% by 2012
The Irish Government has made a commitment to the world's poorest and most vulnerable people – to spend 0.7% of our national income on overseas aid by 2012. That's just 70 cent in every €100 by 2012.
Despite this promise, Ireland 's overseas aid budget has been cut by €222 million , a cut of 24%. We are now no longer on track to meet our commitment and are falling behind.
These cuts drastically affect the lives and livelihoods of many vulnerable people around the world. For people already living in poverty - the people we work with every day - the economic recession will hit them hardest and these people are now being forced to pay the highest price for a crisis they did not create. These cuts are already having an impact.
These are difficult times for us all but we don't care any less about the suffering of others, we don't care any less about the injustice of global poverty and we don't care any less about keeping a solemn promise to people living in poverty; people who need our support now more than ever. | | | Vita is joining with other Irish development organisation to call on the Irish Government to get back on track. | | | | We must keep honour our commitment to reaching 0.7% by 2012. | | | | | | | | | |
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