Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Who pays the price?

Today's budget is tough as we all knew it would be. But is it fair?

Well, we'll all have to have a closer look at the details before we can decide. However, one fear I had was a further cut to foreign aid.

From the Irish Times website:

Dóchas, the Irish Association of Non-Governmental Development Organisations, criticised aid cuts contained in the budget.

"The Irish overseas aid budget was cut by €45 million in July 2008, another €15 million in October, and by €95 million in February this year. Today’s announcement takes another €100 off the budget," a statement from the agencies said.

“Today’s Budget means that in the first four months of 2009 aid spending has been cut by €195 million, or 21.8 per cent of the projected total for the year," said Hans Zomer, director of Dóchas, the umbrella group of Ireland’s major aid agencies.

“These cuts go to the heart of Ireland’s aid programme, and will without doubt lead to people losing their lives,” said Mr Zomer.

Most of us in this country can handle a drop in our standard of living and while it may not seem fair to do so as many of the culprits of the current mess get away scot free, let us please think about those less well off in Ireland and abroad. These men, women and children never got to share in any of the recent economic boom yet they will end up paying the price for our mistakes.