Sinn Féin’s Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, has welcomed the Government’s announcement that it will not cut its Overseas Development Assistance in Budget 2015.

Deputy Crowe, however, expressed the view that much more needs to be in the Government’s foreign affairs policy to support development, peace, reconciliation and human rights, actions which would not cost the Irish taxpayer a cent.

Deputy Crowe said:

“In its 2015 Budget the Government announced that it will spend just over €600 million on overseas development aid.

“I welcome that the pattern of cutting the overseas aid budget has stopped, but as a percentage of Gross National Product (GNP), overseas aid spending has actually decreased.

“Once again I am calling on the Government, in the interest of accountability and transparency, to publish their proposals to reach the target of spending 0.7% of GNP on overseas aid.

“I also believe the Government needs to be doing far more in its foreign policy to support development, and promote peace, reconciliation, and human rights.”

ENDS