Lucinda Creighton
Question:224 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount of money owed to private firms by his Department [42271/10]
View answerThursday, 11 November 2010
Questions (224, 225, 226)
Written answers
In accordance with Public Financial Procedures, it is the Department's policy to pay matured liabilities as and when they arise, subject to presentation of valid invoices and, where appropriate, confirmation that the payee holds a Tax Clearance Certificate from the Irish Revenue Commissioners. The Department is subject to the Prompt Payment of Accounts legislation (which provides that payments made more than 30 days following receipt of a valid invoice may give rise to late payment interest) and it also strives to comply with the Government's non-statutory payment target of 15 days. The following table sets out the position for the third quarter 2010. These figures are posted on the Department's website at the end of each quarter.
Period Covered: 1 July 2010 to 30 September 2010
|
Details |
Number |
Value |
|
€ |
||
|
Total payments made in Quarter |
2,030 |
7,603,223 |
|
Number of payments made within 15 days |
1,785 |
6,788,989 |
|
Number of payments made within 16 days to 30 days |
209 |
752,199 |
|
Number of payments made in excess of 30 days |
36 |
62,035 |
|
Disputed Invoices |
(7) |
(14,325) |
Lucinda Creighton
Question:225 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of external reports and reviews commissioned by his Department in 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; if he will name each report and review; if he will outline the spending on external reports and reviews in each of those years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42286/10]
View answerThe Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes — Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). The attached tables set out, for both Votes, the details of reports commissioned by the Department in 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010 and the costs in each case.
The table includes 4 reports on the EU which I requested the Department to commission prior to and post the Lisbon Treaty Referendum in 2009. All the other reports, and those listed in Vote 29, were requested from various divisions in my Department. Irish Aid (Ireland's official development assistance programme), occasionally commissions outside expertise in cases where the specialised knowledge and/or skills are not available within the Department. During the course of their engagements these consultants/experts may prepare documentation. However, as they would not have been commissioned specifically to furnish a report, these details have not been included in the table.
In addition to the information provided in tabular form, the establishment of a Hunger Task Force was one of the recommendations of the White Paper on Irish Aid published in September 2006. The aim of the Hunger Task Force is to identify the additional, appropriate and effective contributions that Ireland can make to international efforts to reduce hunger. The first meeting of the Hunger Task Force took place in Dublin on 14th September 2007. The Hunger Task Force reported in September 2008, and outlined a number of key actions which Ireland can take to give practical leadership internationally on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of those who suffer from hunger by 2015. The total cost of the Task Force, including the publication of the report, was €301,991.
|
Vote 28: Experts/Consultants commissioned to produce reports in 2008. |
Matter Reported On |
Cost |
|
€ |
||
|
Millward Brown |
Research Project to establish reasons underlying the result of the Referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. |
138,061 |
|
Communications Clinic |
The preparation of a detailed Communication Action Plan to be used to direct spending under the Department’s Communicating Europe Initiative (CEI) in 2009. |
48,000 |
|
Richard Sinnott, Johan A Elkink, Kevin O’Rourke and James McBride |
Report on Attitudes and Behaviour in the Referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon |
11,800 |
|
Mr Jim O’Leary |
Assessment of Value for Money Review of the Passport Service. |
7,260 |
|
Vote 28: Experts/Consultants commissioned to produce reports in 2009. |
Matter Reported On |
Cost |
|
€ |
||
|
Millward Brown |
Fieldwork for survey to investigate opinions and attitudes to the European Union |
30,253 |
|
Vote 28: Experts/Consultants commissioned to produce reports in 2010. |
Matter Reported On |
Cost |
|
€ |
||
|
Macaulay Associates Network |
Preparation of stakeholder feedback report analysing impact of Reconciliation and Anti Sectarianism Funds |
7,118 |
|
Vote 29: Experts/Consultants commissioned by Irish Aid to produce reports in 2008 |
Matter Reported On |
Cost |
|
€ |
||
|
Copenhagen Development Consulting A/S |
Evaluation of Irish Aid Support to Primary Education in the Rwenzori Region, Uganda |
96,665 |
|
Desam International Consultants — Uganda |
Evaluation of Irish Aid Civil Society Programme — Uganda |
19,500 |
|
Debebe — Ethiopia |
Civil Society Fund Audit |
3,000 |
|
Pricewaterhouse Coopers Ltd |
Develop Irish Aid Tanzania Private Sector Support Strategy |
36,414 |
|
National Forestry Authority Uganda |
Environmental impact assessment of the construction improvement component of the post primary education and training programme (PPET) in Karamoja. |
21,666 |
|
J Fitzpatrick Assoc |
External Review of Irish Aid Support to Kimmage Development Studies Centre |
66,550 |
|
Paud Murphy |
Evaluation of Global e-Schools & Communities Initiative (GeSCI ) |
33,200 |
|
FSG Social Impact Advisors |
Evaluation of International Partnership for Microbicides (The Department of Foreign Affairs paid €139,000 towards the cost of this report. The remainder of the total cost of €342,000 was borne by other donors) |
139,000 |
|
Helen O’Neill |
Assessment of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) as potential partner for Irish Aid |
4,000 |
|
Dr.Larry Adupa — Uganda |
Documenting the process of establishing the civil society fund for HIV/AIDS response in Uganda |
11,257 |
|
Prof Amon Z Mattee — Tanzania |
Assessment of the performance of extension services delivery under ASDP in Tanzania |
19,235 |
|
ITAD Ltd |
Evaluation of Ireland’s Timor Leste Country Strategy 2004-2008 |
130,000 |
|
The IDL Group — Mozambique |
Analysis of Opportunities to Support Rural Livelihood Security and Pro-poor Growth through the Public Sector |
38,743 |
|
Alicia da Silva Calane — Mozambique |
Analytic Study on process and indicators to address gender related obstacles to achieving PROAGRI goals |
10,000 |
|
Dr Barry Ryan |
Review of the role of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in the Partnership Programme for Eastern Europe and Central Asia (PPECA) |
15,000 |
|
Economics for the Environment Consultancy Ltd (eftec) |
Review of Irish Aid’s Strategic Partnership’s Environment Programme 2006-2008: |
30,000 |
|
Development Research Training (DRT) — Uganda |
The Status of Chronic Poverty and Vulnerability in Karamoja |
2,857 |
|
J Fitzpatrick Associates |
Evaluation of Traidlinks |
30,250 |
|
FRR/ IDL Group |
Review of Irish Aid Programme in Zimbabwe |
18,351 |
|
Dr. Joseph Oonyu — Uganda |
Mid Term Review of Irish Aid Support to Human Resources Development for Increased Access to Primary Health Care. |
6,554 |
|
Ishmaels K. B. Kabanukye and others |
Mapping exercise of Gender Based Violence (GBV) Programme in Uganda |
20,000 |
|
Mary Jennings/Albert Malama |
Copper Belt Government Programme Evaluation |
23,113 |
|
Dr. Henk J.W Mustsaers |
Review Operational Research for Food Security and Capacity Building and Evaluate Joint Mekelle and Cork Universities MSc Degree in Rural Development |
30,600 |
|
John O’Regan |
Financial Assessment Component of an organisational Assessment on partner NGOs for Multi-Annual Programme Scheme (MAPS), Civil Society Fund, Block Grants & other Civil Society Funding Schemes |
22,400 |
|
Declan O’Neill |
Foreign Currency Transaction Review for Embassy in Tanzania |
15,000 |
|
Elim Serviços Lda- |
Evaluation of Irish support to Technoserve |
19,369 |
|
Health Tech Consulting — Mozambique |
Evaluation of the Provincial Investment Plan 2004-2008 (PIPS) in Niassa Province (Mozambique) |
25,000 |
|
John O’ Regan |
Audit of Multi-Annual Programme Scheme (MAPS) Partnership grants awarded to Self Help Development International |
22,500 |
|
ITAD Ltd |
Evaluation of the Uganda Country Strategy Paper 2007-2009 |
88,760 |
|
Catherine Butcher |
Review of HIVAIDS programme in Northern Province (Zambia) |
18,600 |
|
AGEMA — Mozambique |
Vulnerability & Agriculture Extension Study |
42,000 |
|
Jane Salvage |
Feedback on evaluation of Irish Aids support to Health Rehabilitation Project for Marsh Arabs of Southern Iraq |
1,650 |
|
Integra Economic Development Consultants Ltd |
Report to Inter-Departmental Committee on Development (IDCD) on development of skill sets |
18,300 |
|
Petrus Consulting Ltd |
Quality review of draft HIV and AIDS Value for Money Report |
3,400 |
|
Prof. Ronan Conroy |
Independent assessment of issues arising from review of a local HIV and AIDS Programme in Tanzania. |
5,000 |
|
Vote 29: Experts/Consultants commissioned by Irish Aid to produce reports in 2010 (to date) |
Matter Reported On |
Cost |
|
€ |
||
|
Mike Kiernan |
Joint Appraisal for the development of a Joint Modality within a Sector Wide Approach to support the Palestinian Education System |
10,410 |
|
Dr. Kamal Kar |
Review of draft Irish Aid Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Policy |
2,391 |
|
The Circa Group, Europe |
Development of a Performance Measurement Framework for the Programme of Strategic Cooperation between Irish Aid and Higher Education and Research Institutes 2007-2011 |
24,561 |
|
COWI Zambia Ltd |
Assessment of the Zambian Ministry of Education School Infrastructure Implementation Plan 2008. |
23,760 |
|
Peter McEvoy |
Evaluation of Irish Aid Supported Activities of Dochas, 2006-2008 |
15,058 |
|
Howard Dalzell |
Review of Irish Aid Support for unexploded Ordinance Programmes in Lao PDR & De-Mining in Cambodia |
18,172 |
|
Karen O’Shea |
An Evaluation of the Development Intercultural Education (DICE ) Lectures Project ( Part 2of 2007-09 Model ) January 2009 |
3,819 |
|
Mary McKeown |
Redesign of Irish Aid Regional Support in Ethiopia. |
9,254 |
|
Mary McKeown Varney A Yenbeth Dr Yvonne Harding |
Evaluation of Sierra Leone & Liberia Country Programmes |
35,557 |
|
Rural Net Associates |
Evaluation of support to Zambian Ministry of Education programme. |
14,150 |
|
Channel Research |
Review of Rapid Response Initiative |
10,647 |
|
Johnny O’Regan |
Audit of DFA Travel and Subsistence Budget |
12,386 |
|
KPMG — Kenya |
Report on Uganda Aids Commission |
48,500 |
|
Eleanor O’Gorman |
Provision of Conflict Analysis for Timor Leste |
23,449 |
|
Marcel Grogan |
Audit of MAPS Partner (Trocaire) |
11,423 |
|
Matthias Fiedler |
Development Assistance Committee Research Mapping |
25,000 |
|
Moroko Ltd |
Preparation of Good Practice Note Empowering Local Development |
21,900 |
|
Tierney & Associates |
Consultancy to Undertake Risk Appraisal (Audit) |
12,692 |
|
Paul Isenmann |
Consultancy to support the work to advance Mutual Accountability |
24,661 |
|
Tribal Consulting |
Audit of Development Education |
12,304 |
|
Moroko Ltd |
Evaluation of Vietnam CS |
78,637 |
Lucinda Creighton
Question:226 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount spent by his Department on public relations and advertising in the years 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42314/10]
View answerDepartment is responsible for two votes — Votes 28 (Foreign Affairs) and 29 (International cooperation — Irish Aid). Expenditure on public relations and advertising arises under subhead A3 on both votes. Advertising undertaken by my Department typically includes: advisory notices on public opening hours over holiday periods, changes in passport application procedures and fees, and public information notices relating to significant developments in the European Union (such as the Lisbon Treaty) or in regard to Ireland's Official Development Assistance programme, Irish Aid. While much of this material is now placed on the Department's website, a certain level of advertising continues to be necessary in order to reach all of our customers, particularly in relation to important passport and consular services. Details of advertising expenditure per year for both votes are included in the table below.
From time to time, public relations initiatives are undertaken by my Department. These arise in very specific circumstances where the Department carries out information and awareness-raising campaigns. In 2009 an initiative was undertaken for a public information campaign to inform on and promote awareness of the EU and Ireland's membership of the EU. Two initiatives were undertaken on development issues relating to the management of Africa Day (2008, 2009 and 2010) and the Simon Cumbers Media Fund (2010). Details of expenditure per year are included in the table below.
|
Advertising |
Public Relations |
|||
|
Vote 28 |
Vote 29 |
Vote 28 |
Vote 29 |
|
|
2008 |
259,805 |
378,126 |
— |
34,485 |
|
2009 |
78,972 |
46,015 |
560,407 |
63,058 |
|
2010 to-date |
24,730 |
18,978 |
— |
78,832 |
In addition to this, the network of Irish diplomatic missions abroad occasionally incurs some limited expenditure on advertising and public relations. This would include advertising of Embassy opening hours, changes to consular services, promotion of Irish cultural events, etc.
I am very conscious of the need to achieve value for money on such expenditure, and as with all expenditure appropriate financial controls and regulations are in place.