asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a total developing country's external debt is estimated to have been $1.19 trillion at year end 1987; and the efforts the Government are making to influence creditors to have a more humane and sympathetic approach to the plight of the debtor countries.

I am aware of the growing debt burden on developing countries. I am conscious of the extent to which the servicing of their external debts is hampering the development efforts of many of these countries and causing hardship to their people. Irish Government representatives — while recognising the legitimate concerns of creditors — have argued in various international fora for a more sympathetic approach to debtor countries, especially the poorest among them.