Reaction: Aid agencies and missionaries have given an enthusiastic welcome to the Government's White Paper on Aid.
However, Labour spokesman on foreign affairs Michael D Higgins said an opportunity had been missed to enter into a new dialogue with the developing world.
Mr Higgins welcomed the Taoiseach's further commitment to the 2012 target for spending 0.7 per cent of GNP on official aid, but said it was difficult to accept the legitimacy of this statement given the "shameful reneging" of the Government on its original promise once a seat on the United Nations Security Council was secured.
Dochas, the umbrella body for 38 aid agencies, congratulated the Government and said the document provided clear guidelines for concerted action to fight the root causes of global poverty.
Hans Zomer of Dochas said: "Over the years, we have asked the Government to help make poverty history and put in place three essentials of a high quality aid programme: a timeframe for achieving the 0.7 per cent target, a 'road map' with guidelines for the aid programme and enhanced capacity to manage the programme effectively.
"We are happy that the Government has delivered on both the timeframe and the White Paper. We will now work with them to make sure the Government has the staff and expertise to continue to make a real difference in the lives of the poorest people on earth."
Dochas praised the emphasis in the White Paper on partnership, both with developing country governments and NGOs, but said many of the principles and initiatives would now need to be spelled out in great detail.
The Irish Missionary Resource Service welcomed the acknowledgement given to the pioneering role of missionaries in the White Paper, which offered a "positive vision" of the contribution Ireland could make in the world.
The Government should ensure that Irish Aid's move to Limerick did not undermine its ability to manage the aid programme in the future, it added.
Trócaire director Justin Kilcullen said he was delighted to see that an inter-departmental committee on development would be established and regular debates on development would take place in the Dáil and Seanad.
Concern's chief executive Tom Arnold said the White Paper set an example for other European states to follow.
"It reaffirms the core elements and direction of existing policy, which is welcome, and proposes a number of new initiatives to make the aid programme even more effective in tackling poverty and its root causes."
Unicef Ireland and World Vision Ireland praised the commitment to funding programmes for children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/Aids.
Christian Aid Ireland said the Government needed to reduce carbon emissions which directly contributed to climate change.
