A chara, – I applaud the signatories of the letter to The Irish Times(November 16th) on the subject of overseas aid. I believe they reflect the views of the great majority of the people of Ireland. I realise that measures need to be taken to get us out of the economic mess that we are in, but this shouldn't be done at the expense of the starving and the destitute.
The Irish people have always responded generously to the needs of the Third World and I know that most people wouldn’t begrudge the relatively small amount that the Government gives on our behalf. As the authors of that letter remind us, what is given doesn’t have much of an impact on our finances here but it means a great deal to those who benefit from it. – Is mise,