Funferal

Ireland to promise 0.7% ODA by 2012?

Word is that the Irish government may tomorrow (once again) announce a date for meeting the 0.7% target for overseas development aid. It looks like the date will be 2012, though the (essentially neo-liberal) PDs claim to want the target to be 2010. Lovely pre-election posturing – the best of being in government and pretending to be the opposition. [Though the current government could last until 2007 Ireland is firmly in pre-election electioneering mode.]
Of course, Ireland has previously promised to meet the target earlier, most famously when the government made the promise a main plank in its bid for a UN Security Council seat. After getting the seat the promise was quickly abandoned. That’s why I find some of the comments in the linked story somewhat strange:

Trócaire director Justin Kilcullen said a target date of 2010 would show the Government was serious about helping to meet the UN’s Millennium Development Goals on reducing poverty and disease. They [the Government] would have a fantastic credibility if they do that and they can continue to take a leadership position on development issues, he said.

Note that he’s saying the government will have credibility is they merely make a statement – a statement echoing a broken promise from five years ago.