asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he proposes to publish a White Paper covering Ireland's official policy on overseas development aid; if so, if he will indicate the range which that paper would cover; and when it will be published.

: I do not believe that it is necessary at this stage for the Government to issue a White Paper on Official Development Assistance (ODA). The broad outlines of Government policy in relation to ODA have been set out in several statements over the past three years. These include my statement on the Estimates for my Department in June of this year, as well as the statements of my predecessor as Minister for Foreign Affairs on the Estimates in 1978 and 1979. The Government's policy on ODA was outlined also in my statement at the inaugural meeting of the new advisory Council on Development Co-operation on 21 March 1980, the text of which was issued as a press release and in the booklet entitled "Development Co-operation—Ireland's Bilateral Programme" issued by my Department last year.

19.