Irish Overseas Aid

Sir, - Congratulations on your millennium coverage

Sir, - Congratulations on your millennium coverage. You used the occasion to assess Ireland's place in the wider context of the world. How easy it is to forget that only 150 years ago the living conditions for many families in Ireland were as wretched as they are today for families in many Third World countries.

Justin Kilcullen's letter (December 29th) cited our overseas aid budget as a percentage of GNP running at about 66 per cent of the Government's own target and less than 50 per cent of the UN target.

This is a truly appalling response and the stated reason of Ireland Aid being limited in capacity is ridiculous. If this excuse had been given by the British government during our Famine in the 1840s we would have been outraged and we would have been right. Can somebody please wake up Liz O'Donnell and the Department of Foreign Affairs to the realities of their miserable performance on our behalf? - Yours, etc.,

James H. Casey, Granitefield, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.