asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if it has been decided to grant a subvention to the United Nations World Food Programme; if so, what is the amount, and what considerations led to the granting of this amount.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - UN World Food Programme.
51.
As announced by the Government Information Bureau on 18th January, the Government have decided that this country's pledge to the Joint NU/FAO Expanded World Food Programme which operates from the beginning of this year should be £450,000 spread over the three-year period 1966-68.
The considerations which led to this decision were that the total contribution target for this great humanitarian Programme was being increased from $100 million to $275 million, that other countries had decided to increase their contributions very substantially and that Ireland, as an agricultural exporting country, with a high standard of nutrition, should not fail to play its due part in this Programme which represents a great multilateral effort by Governments to assist by means of food donations the less fortunate nations of the world.
Pope Paul VI and other religious leaders, leading world statesmen and the reports of many international organisations have all emphasised the urgent need for increased aid from the more developed nations to the vast numbers of people all over the world who are suffering from malnutrition and hunger.