asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the (1) political, (2) social, (3) economic and (4) cultural criteria that were used by his Department to select Lesotho, Zambia, Tanzania, the Sudan and India as countries which should have priority in Ireland's Bilateral Aid Programme.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bilateral Aid Programme.
1.
As the Deputy may know, the selection of these countries was made by the previous Government. Consideration was given, in selecting these countries, to the following criteria:
(1) Political: It is not Government policy to give aid for political reasons. However, political considerations are of course relevant and there are a few countries where the circumstances are such that the Government would not wish to sponsor development projects.
(2) Social: The primary objective of our aid programme is to promote the welfare of the peoples of the recipient countries, in particular the poorer sections of the population, and respond to their basic needs. As most of the poorer people in developing countries live in rural areas it follows that the main thrust of our programme must be concentrated there. We are also in a position to give expertise and experts particularly in the agricultural sector. An important factor, therefore, in deciding on the priority countries was whether the social structures in the countries concerned would facilitate this objective of channelling aid to rural areas.
(3) Economic: The selection took into account factors such as the relative poverty of the countries concerned, their actual need of outside aid and their ability to absorb and make effective use of the aid offered. We also have in mind a relationship with the countries in question which involves co-operation and partnership, rather than just aid and assistance.
(4) Cultural: Factors taken into consideration here included the relevance of Irish experience, our historical and other links with the recipient countries, the possibility of being able to use English as a working language, and, in general, familiar legal, administrative and other systems.
Our selection of countries for priority assistance is an ongoing process and I propose to review the situation from time to time.
I recognise that the selection was made by the previous administration. I understand from what the Minister did not say that he supports the selection and is maintaining the same criteria and holding the same countries that are listed in the reply?
I accept that the criteria are valid and relevant but I shall be reviewing the process from time to time. That could mean that some other countries would be considered that were not previously beneficiaries and perhaps the level of our activity in some of the existing countries might change somewhat.
The Minister indicated in his reply that there were negative political considerations which would prevent aid going to certain countries. Could I ask if there are positive political considerations that would encourage him on political grounds to provide aid, all other things being equal, to certain countries and if that criterion was applied in the selection of these?
Indeed, there are. As regards negative considerations, the recipient States generally are very sensitive in this area; they feel that political judgment should not generally be made by the States making the contributions. This is a particularly sensitive area in Africa. By and large, I can assure the Deputy that there are certainly much more important positive political considerations that we take into account.
This decision was taken by the Minister's predecessors. Was the decision taken during the time of the notoriously undemocratic dictatorship of Mrs. Indira Ghandi in India?
That is a separate question.
I think it is a question of res ipsa loquitur; the facts speak for themselves, if you look at the occasion when the decision was taken. I do not want to comment beyond that.