Aid cuts would be awful for poor, warn bishops
CATHOLIC bishops have warned that cuts to overseas aid will not solve Ireland's financial problems, but will have a devastating impact on some of the world's poorest people.
A letter sent to Finance Minister Brian Lenihan on behalf of the Irish Conference of Bishops by Cardinal Sean Brady was released yesterday by the Church's media office in Maynooth, Co Kildare.
The letter informed Mr Lenihan of the bishops' fears in the wake of recent significant cuts in the overseas allocation and further proposed cuts in the McCarthy report.
"We are fearful that if those recommendations are implemented, we will see the ODA (Official Development Assistance) allocation cut again in the forthcoming Budget and also, most likely, in the Budget for 2011," Cardinal Brady wrote on October 8.
Challenges
"We acknowledge that we are facing significant challenges here at home at present," added Cardinal Brady. "We know that savings must be made. However, we believe that savings made through further cuts to ODA will have a marginal impact on our own problems while having a devastating impact on the lives of some of the world's poorest people."
It was for this reason the Catholic Bishops' Conference was opposed to such cuts and was urging the Government to keep its promises to the world's poorest people, he said.
- John Cooney
Irish Independent
