Sir, - Norman Craig (June 15th), is right to emphasise that the poor must be the real beneficiaries of Ireland's overseas aid programmes. However, his statement that the agencies on the ground have doubts about the value of the Government's aid programme does not reflect Trocaire's position.
Trocaire has had a long relationship with Ireland Aid dating back to 1977. We recognise, as have international aid monitoring networks such as the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, that the great strength of Ireland Aid has been its focus on tackling poverty in some of the world's poorest countries, particularly Africa.
Ireland Aid, like all donors, is faced with the constraints posed by weak governance in these poorer nations. We are faced with the choice of either walking away or doing something about it. Trocaire agrees with Ireland Aid that rather than abandon the people living under weak governments, we must actively strive to combat the problem.
An essential element in building up good governance is investment in institutional structures, at both government and civil society levels. Moreover, it is in the promotion of civil society that Trocaire sees the basis for a dynamic partnership between the expanded official aid programme and NGOs in the future.
Trocaire believes that the Government and NGO aid programmes are distinctly different but complementary. Ireland Aid's focus on Africa has grown out of a long tradition of missionary and NGO work in the continent. Trocaire has always believed that no NGO can or should substitute for government responsibility in the area of aid.
It would be a shame that Ireland, which has bucked international trends in agreeing to reach the UN aid to GNP target following years of lobbying by agencies such as Trocaire, should see that commitment undermined by ill informed and at times intemperate comments.
Ireland Aid and the NGO community are at all times determined to ensure that their expenditure has an impact on the ground. No-one can afford to be complacent. Trocaire and other agencies are always engaged in monitoring and evaluating our projects.
The political commitment to reach the UN target reflects the Irish people's empathy with those living in poverty and oppression around the world. Trocaire looks forward to playing a constructive role in the expanded aid programme, ensuring that it continues to make a contribution to development of which the Irish people can be proud. - Yours, etc.,
Justin Kilcullen, Director, Trocaire