31 Márta 2014, 12:09
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade will tomorrow afternoon meet with the Debt and Development Coalition Ireland (DDCI), which comprises organisations and individuals who share a deep concern about the impact of debt on developing countries.
Nessa Ní Chasaide, Co-ordinator of Debt and Development Coalition Ireland, will address the Committee.
Chairman of the Committee Pat Breen TD says: “In 2005, debt activists assembled a prominent and well organised global campaign which successfully persuaded the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and G8 to abolish debts worth billions of dollars owed by developing countries. However, despite this high-profile cancelation of billions of dollars of debt almost a decade ago, developing countries still owe about $4 trillion, and this figure continues to rise.
“Ms Ní Chasaide and the DDCI are expected to argue that, while victories have been achieved in the struggle for debt cancellation, progress has too slow and the roots of the debt crisis have not been recognised. Tomorrow, they are expected to criticise the refusal of governments and international institutions to recognise the concept of unjust or illegitimate debts. As a Committee, we look forward to engaging on this complex but critical issue that is having a direct impact in entrenching poverty in the developing world.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Tuesday 1 April at 12 noon in Committee Room 4, LH 2000. It can be viewed live on Oireachtas UPC Channel 207 and online here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
Media enquiries to:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade
Deputies:
Pat Breen, Fine Gael (Chairman)
Eric Byrne, Labour
Bernard Durkan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
Seán Crowe, Sinn Féin
Olivia Mitchell, Fine Gael
Gerald Nash, Labour
Dan Neville, Fine Gael
Brendan Smith, Fianna Fáil
Maureen O’Sullivan, Independent
Senators:
Deirdre Clune, Fine Gael
Mark Daly, Fianna Fáil
Lorraine Higgins, Labour
Michael Mullins, Fine Gael
David Norris, Independent
Jim Walsh, Fianna Fáil