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MORE THAN 47 per cent of Irish respondents to a new Eurobarometer survey said they were prepared to spend more on groceries or other products from developing countries.
While 52 per cent said that tackling global poverty should be one of the Government’s main priorities.
Interviews
From over 1000 interviews in Ireland, 85 per cent of people said that it was important to help people from developing countries.
Ireland saw the highest increase in people who think that we should increase aid to developing countries beyond what is already promised at 13 per cent – up 6 percentage points since the 2012 survey. This is slightly above the EU average of 11 per cent.
A further 43 per cent of Irish respondents think that we should keep our promise to increase aid to developing countries, while 22 per cent – up 4 points from last year’s survey, think we should reduce aid to developing countries as we can no longer afford it.
The results show that people believe that every individual can play their part in tacking poverty and that it can have a positive influence on people:
Only 7 per cent of those surveyed said they were aware of the Millennium Development Goals:
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I know I’m gonna get shot down for this, but as much as I agree with helping developing countries, I think we should be trying to help people in our own country first. There’s a lot of hardship for people out there, so that’s where we should start. What’s the saying ‘charity begins at home.’
Charity begins at home is not what you think it means. It means that children first learn of charity at home through their parents. Saying that i shop at Aldi cause it’s cheaper and i am not going to change that.
Most of the aid and money never gets to the poor anyway, it gets creamed off by the corruption which is why most places are poor to start with.
I’m more talking about the aid side of things. Ill follow the prices as well, but sending vast amounts of money to countries, where being honest we have no idea what it’s being used for, could well be kept here to help unfortunate people in our own communities.
It’s all well and good to say you’ll follow prices, just don’t crib when small farmers and Irish food has been wiped out and getting served GM food is par for the course! Watch “food inc”, the notion that food is cheaper in supermarkets than closer to source is a cop out and lazy!
@Diarmaid all my meat and veg is locally sourced, I have no problem with that. Ill follow deals in supermarkets, I have no loyalty to any one store when it comes to shopping
Ah ya, not singling you out at all Trevor, I just despise Aldi and Lidl and everything they stand for!
Trevor,
You don’t seem to be getting shot down. Great to be wrong sometimes isn’t it.
Agree with you all the way.
I’m really glad you can afford to do that , lots of us can’t and yes I’ve watched food inc
Iorac I am a student on reduced illness benefit and don’t shop in Aldi or Lidl, as I said they ARE NOT cheaper, do a bit of shopping around!
They are however, the cheapest, I’m on reduced pension. I look for quality and price.
That is ok but there are many people who can eat because of Aldi and Lidl prices
Pure nonsense
Yeah it’s rubbish.
Why do we have to pay more for goods produced in developing countries? Aren’t labour costs cheaper. Maybe it means 47% of people want to end farm subsidies to farmers in Europe, put them out of business and end trade tariffs for imported food from outside the EU. It will drive up global food prices as less food will be produced in Europe. Maybe it is a good idea but European farmers won’t like it and it could lead to global food shortages.
you see they’ve tried the clothes, the electronics, now let’s see if we can do it with the food, “we really want to make more money off poor people and sell it to the west cos we’re soooooo greedy! yum yum yum”
the way its going, they’re will be nothing left in this country but computers and servers.
just don’t buy it, buy ‘safe’ food here, you’ll have some hope. you’re only supporting the greed. those who are making money off poor people. sell it over there, surely they need food.
Nobody asked me or anyone I know are we even sure a survey was done ?
Is the ‘Penny for the Black Babies’ thing still running in schools?
Few in Ireland today can afford such high minded sentiments.
Never mind today , one of the many blood sports enjoyed by the ‘Christian’ Brothers at the expense of poor Dublin gurriers was to embarrass them if the did not have enough pin-holes in the ‘Babies’ card. I believe that nuns were equally kind.
What people should be doing is buying good Irish produce in local markets. It’s absolute nonsense that stuff in markets or local produce is more expensive! Just because Dunnes or Tesco charge more for having “organic” or “Irish” labelled food doesn’t mean it is more expensive! Stop corporate monsters like Tesco ripping off and exploiting farmers here and farmers afar and be more responsible with your own basket! Without a buying customer, they don’t have a business! Sorry, rant over!
I too don’t know nor have ever heard of someone who has heard of someone surveyed for anything. Take this one with a pinch of salt.
Neither have i ever came across anyone surveyed.
I wouldnt take it with a pinch of salt,as this is only time they will ever (well pretend to listen to Irish people) when giving our money away.lol
exactly, they must pull these out of a bin, a shredding one at that and piece it all together to get this mismatch.
yea i’d pay €10 for 2 one month old chicken fillets, all the way from Sri Lanka.
no thanks.
Look after our own.
Charity begins at home
Cristina – would a journal poll back that up I wonder?
Christina! sorry.
Support local farmers all the way !!! Why pay more and increase our carbon footprint we’ve beautiful fertile land here and are more than capable ! Don’t know where this survey took place but I can’t see anyone i know agreeing to pay more?
It varies by crop but generally transport makes up a tiny proportion of food’s footprint. Growing tomatoes in Spain is more efficient than say in green houses here for example. The green miles concept is dubious if not detrimental from a environmental perspective if it promotes production in places not suited to a particular crop. Eating seasonally, and that which is suited to local environments might be an improvement, but you can’t expect a huge selection that is constant throughout the year produced locally. The support local is a separate issue so its important not to conflate them. .
Eh nobody asked me if i was willing to pay more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I barely can pay for my own as is.Get lost i bet they surveyed the wealthy and the super rich.
If they force this on Irish people who already donate 64 million,and then school sending home charity boxes. I will start looking for other products to buy that isnt forced charity.I am as everyone else is entitled to donate,if however i dont wish to donate outside my home anymore no one has right to make that decision for me.
I work damn hard to earn the pennies and half life i live as is.
Remember the slogan, Be Irish buy Irish.
Yes, and the other 53% are regular posters on TheJournal who all shop in Aldi/Lidl.
I think only adults were surveyed.
Its interesting that Fairtrade is much less prevalent than it used to be, that really ticked the box for giving people the option of paying more and generally did what it said on tin, helping rural communities develop. Saying yes to that question on a questionnaire and actually forking out are two different things it seems. On the general topic of development and aid, I think there is way too much cynicism and a lot of good work is being done, it is just the scale of the issue is so big it is hard to comprehend. Find some ted talks by Prof Hans Rosling, he gives a refreshing evidence based view on things, not the emotionally charged charity promo material most people are sick of seeing.
Question is, how long is these “Developing Countries” going to need help??
I’m willing to pay more for groceries that are good and outstanding quality. Regardless the place they come from.
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