In a new series of Far Away Up Close, former government minister Liz O’ Donnell packs her bags in search of the real lives behind Ireland’s overseas development aid programme.
Over four episodes, the woman who played a major political role in increasing Ireland’s aid budget travels to different countries in Africa in order to explain why aid is not only important to her, but to ask questions about Ireland’s aid programme on behalf of the Irish taxpayer.
The Country
This week, Liz travels to South Africa to ask what role the Irish government’s aid programme is playing in a country that is actually defined as middle income? Set against the backdrop of economic progress and development, Liz asks how Irish money is being put to use?
Over the next four years, €65 million euro of Irish tax payers money will provide bi-lateral assistance to South Africa, meaning that money is transferred from one government directly to another.
Liz also travels along the road to Lesotho, a small country landlocked by South Africa. Lesotho is the longest established of Ireland’s bilateral country programmes and Ireland has been active there since 1975.
The Issues
As presenter Liz O’Donnell journies through South Africa and Lesotho, major questions arise regarding the role of international aid in the twenty first century. Should aid have an agenda?
Should African countries reject aid and make private investment their sole concentration? Is there a way that international assistance and business can work together?
The Person Behind the Aid
In the capital city Maseru, Liz spends some time with a young female factory worker called Lineo, who explains how an organisation which Irish aid contributes to, ALAFA, is enabling her to go to work. In a country where stigma about HIV and AIDS is prevalent, ALAFA’s role suggests that aid and business can work together.
During their time together, Lineo invites Liz to come to the factory where she has made a decision to tell her co-workers something very important…
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Visit the website http://www.rte.ie/tv/farawayupclose/index.html
For information on previous programmes in the series go to http://www.rte.ie/tv/farawayupclose/archive.html
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Liz O’Donnell was elected to Dáil Eireann for the Progressive Democrats, representing Dublin South, in 1991. She was opposition spokesperson on Health and Social Welfare from 1992 to 1993, and Party Whip and Justice spokes-person from 1993 to 1997. In 1997 Liz O’Donnell was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for Overseas Development Assistance and Human Rights.
Liz O’Donnell represented the Irish Government at the multi-party talks at Stormont, which culminated in the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. She was also a member of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Asylum Immigration and related matters. Liz was re-elected to the 29th Dáil at the 2002 general election as TD for Dublin South.
In December 2002, Liz was awarded the Doolin Memorial Medal for her contribution to Overseas Development and Human Rights.