Press Room > Oxfam Ireland Press Release

An estimated 20,000 people turned out at the Dublin rally on 30th June, organised by Oxfam Ireland and its partners in the Make Poverty History Coalition. The crowd showed its approval as Joe Duffy introduced top-class musicians including Mundy and the Devlins.

The Walls launched into a thunderous performance of "Brewing up a Storm" just as a real-life rainstorm broke overhead, then the clouds parted, a rainbow came out over Merrion Square and the crowd heeded the Hothouse Flowers: "Don't go!".

Men in kilts, bright agency banners, white bands everywhere - it was a colourful spectacle with a serious point: Ireland too must play its part in making poverty history.

Speakers from Zambia, from the trade unions and from agencies who had organised the event reiterated the message: Bertie Ahern promised that 0.7% of GNP would be spent on overseas aid, so let's keep that promise! Gospel singers from Gardiner Street and Ballymun ended the evening with U2's "Pride (in the Name of Love)". And Oxfam Ireland was indeed proud, proud to be part of such an event.


Dr Brian Scott, Chief executive, Oxfam Ireland, writes:

Dear All,

A huge THANK YOU to everyone involved in planning, preparing, and the doing of our various 'Make Poverty History' demonstrations in Belfast, Dublin, and Edinburgh in recent months, and our related advertisements, press releases, banners, media interviews, etc etc.

While we have, of course, much to thank Geldof and Bono for in the way of their excellent promotion, we have obtained through our own efforts a really big impact on the mind of the general public. The level of media discussion about the causes of global poverty, what is to be done about it, and especially the necessity for decisive action, is greater than anything I have ever experienced.

We have played a significant part in making this happen. I am immensely proud of what you have accomplished.

But, as Gordon Brown has remarked, 'Abolishing global poverty is not the work of a week for the G8!' There is much more to do - and, as we know, there are two more significant events after the G8 meeting this week.

These are:

• The Millennium Summit in New York in September, where UN members will review their progress (and lack of it!) towards achieving the 2015 Millennium Development Goals
• The World Trade Organisation meeting in Hong Kong in December, where we need decisions to dismantle the unfair trade rules that prevent poor countries from gaining access to rich country markets and enable rich countries to dump subsidised cotton, sugar, etc on world markets.

So, let's keep up the pressure on the politicians and government officials!

For further information please contact Claire Guenard on 01 6040706/0879058075