(The Nationalist, 30 March 2001)
Primary education for all the world’s children: £4 billion a year.
Spending on cosmetics in the USA: £5.5 billion a year.
Water and sanitation for all: £6 billion a year.
Spending on ice cream in Europe: £8 billion a year.
Basic health and nutrition for all: £9 billion a year.
Pet foods in Europe and USA: £12 billion a year.
Alcoholic drinks in Europe each year: £72 billion.
Illegal narcotic drugs in the world each year: £276 billion.
Military spending in the world each year: £538 billion.
The wealth of the richest 225 people equals the annual income of half the world’s population.
The six richest people in the world are wealthier than the poorest 48 countries.
In 1998, 30% of Irish children lived in families with an income of £144 a week.
In the same year, 40% of Irish children lived in families with an income of £173 a week.
Two people were talking about this one day. The first said, ‘Sometimes I’d like to ask God why he allows poverty, famine and injustice when he could do something about it.’ The second replied, ‘Why don’t you?’ Shamefaced, the first answered, ‘I’m afraid God might ask me the same question’.
‘If you do not hear the cry of the poor, then your own cry will not be heard.’ (Proverbs 21.13)