An Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern TD, announced at the Millennium United Nations Summit in September 2000 that Ireland would reach the UN target for official development assistance (ODA) by the year 2007. This announcement is momentous. If fulfilled it will place Ireland among a shamefully small number of countries which have reached the target set in 1970 (0.7% of GNP). In money terms, it will mean that Ireland\'s annual ODA budget could rise to as much as 1R£800 million in 2007 (or soon after, depending on what happens to GNP in the meantime). This is almost four times this year\'s ODA amount which is estimated to be IR£208 million. Moreover, it will not be a once-ofFaid bonanza but an annual allocation