The Agency for Personal Service Overseas (APSO) is the sole semi-State company under the aegis of my Department. The Agency for Personal Service Overseas is a company limited by guarantee which does not have a share capital. Its primary objective is "the promotion of temporary personal service in the developing countries of the world for their economic and social development by persons from Ireland, in the interests of justice and peace among nations, in so far as this may be done by a body of persons established for charitable purposes and not otherwise". The Agency for Personal Service Overseas is recognised as a charity for taxation purposes by the Revenue Commissioners.
While the Agency for Personal Service Overseas does not have an explicit code of conduct, the agency's memorandum and articles of association contain provisions which deal with actual or potential conflicts of interest involving members of the board or employees of the agency in the performance of their duties.
I have arranged for copies of the relevant documents to be placed in the Oireachtas Library.
I am satisfied that the relevant articles provide a sufficient safeguard to ensure that the prevention of potential or actual conflicts of interst by the Agency for Personal Service Overseas Board members and employees in the performance of their duties. However, as part of the current general review of the principles which govern the relationship between Departments of State and State bodies under their aegis, the question of whether any additional safeguards should be introduced is being examined.
