asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in respect of the years 1976 and 1977, what assisance from the bilateral official aid programme has been (a) allocated to and (b) spent through private firms or organisations, specifying in the case of each project (i) the nature of the project, (ii) the firm or organisation involved, (iii) the total cost, (iv) the share of the cost borne by the bilateral programme, by the firm in question and by other sources, (v) the organisation or project-holder involved in the developing country, (vi) whether the Irish firm or organisation is involved on a commercial or on a non-profit basis, and (vii) what benefits are judged to accrue.
Written Answers. - Bilateral Aid Programme.
373.
(a) In 1976 no bilateral aid funds were spent through privately owned firms or organisations. Since it is important that all sectors of Irish society should participate in the aid programme, it was decided that strenuous efforts should be made in 1977 to use private firms to execute projects valued at £100,000 or slightly over 10 per cent of the total programme expenditure of £975,000. The response to this initiative has been slow and despite great efforts by my Department, and also by the Confederation of Irish Industry and Coras Trachtala it has proved possible to allocate to private firms the execution of projects involving expenditure of only £61,848 in 1977.
(b) £3,052 has been disbursed to date.
(c) In reply to parts (iv) and (vi), each project stands on its own as a project fully funded by bilateral aid, employing an Irish firm on a commercial basis in its execution. The projects are, however, integral parts of larger projects, not funded by Ireland, whose costs are not available. Local costs incurred in the execution of the projects by the beneficiaries are neither calculated nor included in the cost to Ireland of the projects.
(d) Replies to parts (i), (ii), (iii), (v) and (vii) for each project are as follows:—
1. (i) Technical assistance in the commissioning of a sisal carpet factory; (ii) Irish Ropes Ltd.; (iii) £12,848; (v) Tanzania Carpet Co.; (vii) The technical assistance will enable the Tanzania Carpet Co to produce sisal carpet, thereby increasing the country's processing of sisal fibre into finished products and reducing Tanzania's dependence on fluctuating prices for raw fibre. At the same time, Tanzania's dependence on imports of carpet will be reduced.
2. (i) Feasibility Study on Pyrethrum Extract Refinery; (ii) Dalgety-Kenny Associates; (iii) £8,000; (v) Tanganyika Pyrethrum Board; (vii) The study will enable the Tanganyika Pyrethrum Board to decide whether to undertake the refining of crude Pyrethrum extract. If the extract can be refined economically, Tanzania will increase the added value of the product and will be less dependent on outside agents in marketing the refined product that it is in selling the crude extract.
3. (i) Feasibility study on molasses by-products processing; (ii) Delgety-Kenny Associates; (iii) £18,000; (v) Tanzania Investment Bank; (vii) Tanzania currently produces a large quantity of sugar which has molasses as a by-product and which is either used as animal feed or wasted. The study will investigate the feasibility of manufacturing alternative useful products from molasses.
4. (i) Feasibility study of a maltings; (ii) Dalgety-Kenny Associates; (iii) £14,000; (v) Tanzania National Development Corporation; (vii) all malt used in Tanzania is imported. The study will assist Tanzania in the production of its own barley and malt and will contribute to savings in foreign exchange, to increased employment and to the prosperity of farmers.
5. (i) Technical assistance in the establishment of a National Construction unit; (ii) Nicholas O'Dwyer and Partners in association with Coopers and Lybrand Associates Ltd.; (iii) £9,000; (v) Ministry of Works, Lesotho; (viii) the establishment of a national construction unit, which will have responsibility for the implementation of medium to large scale construction projects in the building and civil engineering sectors, will contribute to the solution of a severe housing problem in Lesotho and of a problem of general lack of capacity in these sectors.