A number of entities operate under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs. These include the Agency for Personal Service Overseas, APSO, National Committee for Development Education, NCDE, and the Ireland Aid Advisory Committee, IAAC, which has been replaced by the Advisory Board of Ireland Aid, ABIA.
The mission statement of APSO is to contribute to sustainable improvement in the living conditions of poor communities in developing countries by enhancing human resources, skills and local capacities in the interests of development, peace and justice. It is fully funded by the Government, with a budget of €17.6 million in 2002. Last year, approximately 1,270 overseas personnel assignments were supported by APSO in 79 countries.
The current APSO strategic plan covers the period 1999-2003. Annual reports have been provided by APSO for each of the years since the current strategic plan was adopted. These reports outline the extent and nature of APSO's work, including evaluation. APSO was the subject of examination as part of the Ireland Aid review, published and approved by Government in March of this year, which judged that APSO had carried out very valuable work since its inception in 1973. It also concluded that, as a result of changing practices in development work and changing patterns of personnel supply, consideration needed to be given to the future of the organisation.