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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 5

Written Answers. - Agency for Personal Service Overseas.

Gay Mitchell

Question:

8 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs when the last value for money audit was carried out at APSO; and his views on the effectiveness of the organisation. [4546/99]

APSO is a State-sponsored body established in 1974 to promote and sponsor temporary personal service by skilled Irish people in developing countries. The focus of its work is increasingly on local skills enhancement in support of self-reliance and sustainable development.

In 1996, the board and management of APSO took the innovative step to pioneer social accounting as a means of improving both the accountability of the organisation and the quality of service provided. This is the first time in Ireland that any agency in the development sector has conducted such a study of its own performance and APSO is to be commended for taking this innovative and challenging step. The Department, which is represented on the board of APSO, was fully supportive of the exercise.

The report, entitled APSO Social Accounts 1996, was published in 1998. It identifies a range of stakeholder groups, including APSO's partner organisations in developing countries, whose views were sought on the overall performance of the agency. The report contains a wealth of information, much of which reflects very positively on the organisation.

It also identifies a number of areas where it was felt there was room for improvement. This is perfectly normal in respect of any organisation open enough to engage in this kind of critical self-evaluation and does not detract from the agency's overall effectiveness.

I should add that APSO and the volunteers it sends to developing countries are held in very high esteem in these countries. In recent discussions with a series of Ministers from Caribbean countries, this view was reiterated to me and to Irish officials. I have also been able to see at close quarters this year the very worthwhile work the agency is carrying out through its volunteers in Central America, both in terms of long-term development and effective response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Mitch.

The board, of which an official of my Department is a member, and the management of APSO have already initiated follow-up action on those aspects of APSO's performance identified in the social accounts as needing attention.

The accounts of the Agency are audited annually by the Comptroller and Auditor General, who since 1993 also have a function in checking for value for money. APSO's accounts have always been found to be in good order.

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