asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs why projects funded from the bilateral aid vote, and carried out by Irish semi-State bodies, are always carried out on commercial terms whereas projects not so funded and also executed by Irish semi-State bodies are sometimes funded on semicommercial or break-even terms.
Written Answers. - Bilateral Aid Projects.
270.
The terms on which a semi-State body tenders for any contract is a matter for the board of the body and/or the Minister concerned whether projects are funded under the bilateral aid programme or otherwise.
This Department do not lay down regulations as to the basis on which semi-State projects in developing countries are arrived at.
271.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the criteria which are employed in choosing projects to be funded from the bilateral aid programme.
The Deputy will be aware that there are five priority countries for our development aid. Our programmes in these countries are formulated in consultation with the Governments concerned. The primary consideration is the need and priority of the particular country, together with the ability of Ireland to provide assistance of the kind that is required. In so far as is possible, projects are chosen which support, as directly as possible, the poorest and most needy sections of the community in each country. Care is of course also taken to ensure that projects are technically feasible and have a satisfactory cost-benefit ratio.
The general criteria outlined above would also normally apply to our projects in non-priority countries.
272.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the proportion at present obtaining between funds from the bilateral aid allocation that are channelled through (i) semi-State bodies, (ii) private firms, (iii) non-governmental development agencies; and if he considers that any change in this proportion would be desirable.
The approximate percentages are set out below in so far as the anticipated expenditure in 1978 is concerned: (i) State-sponsored bodies: 34 per cent; (ii) Private firms: 20 per cent; (iii) Non-Governmental development agencies: 8 per cent.
The balance of the programme is expended mainly through Government Departments, educational institutions, organisations concerned with the welfare of students from developing countries, and governments of developing countries. I should add that, while these happen to be the current percentages, they are liable to change at any time as circumstances make that desirable.
273.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of semi-State agency employees involved in the projects funded by his Department in developing countries in 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977 compared with the number of semi-State agency employees involved in projects not funded by his Department.
The execution of projects under the bilateral aid programme is contracted out to semi-State bodies as well as to other organisations. Thus the number of employees assigned to a project by a semi-State body is primarily a matter for the body concerned and this information is not automatically available to me.
I can now advise the Deputy, however, that in 1977, for the first time, three officials of semi-State bodies were assigned on a full-time basis to projects under the bilateral aid programme. In addition, in each of the years mentioned officials of semi-State bodies were assigned, as required, on a short-term basis to assist in the implementation of projects. It would be extremely difficult and time-consuming, however, to quantify these short-term assignments. In addition, given that the grades of staff involved, together with the duration of their involvement, varied considerably from project to project, this might not be a particularly meaningful exercise.