25 Apr 2012, 16:57
The costs of running embassies, the passport service and services and programmes for Irish Abroad, as well the Global Economic Forum and the Official Development Assistance programme will be among the key issues to be dealt with by the PAC when it meets with the Secretary General at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade tomorrow, 26th April.
Chairman of the Committee, John McGuinness said that while the decision to close embassies is a policy matter, a key issue for the Committee will be to examine the efficiencies brought into the running of the Department and the cost of running embassies abroad.
Deputy McGuinness said: “Among the matters we will discuss are what steps have been taken to lower the cost of retaining staff abroad. Is it necessary that all our ambassadors hold the same civil service grade and could many embassies get by while being run by lower grade staff? The need to cutback is also happening at a time when more is expected from the Department, particularly now that the trade promotion function is within the remit of the Department. We will be interested to know how the Department is coping with these changes and if adequate resources have been given to implement this new responsibility.”
The operation of the passport service will also be dealt with by the Committee.
Deputy McGuinness said: “Looking at the accounts, €36 million was raised in 2010 mainly from passport applications. However, the service is not self-financing and we will interested to know what level of investment in technology is required to provide new passports with biometric security. Is consideration being given to introducing a fee structure that will see the service become self-financing?”
The benefits of the Global Economic Forum will also be examined and the Committee will want to know what systems have been put in place to follow through on the work of the Forum. The Official Development Assistance programme, of which 80% is administered by Irish Aid, will also be examined at tomorrow’s meeting.
“The programmes operated by Irish Aid are subject to rigorous and professional evaluation processes. However, with aid programmes there is always a risk that money given to third parties, especially Governments in programme countries, will not be used as intended. We will want to know what controls and procedures are in place to deal with this kind of situation. We will also want to know what level of oversight of charities’ accounts, in particular the levels of remuneration paid to those running the organisations, is available to Irish Aid,” said Deputy McGuinness.
This meeting will take place at 10am tomorrow, Thursday, 26th April in Committee Room 1, Leinster House 2000.
Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI
Ends
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
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Committee of Public Accounts
Membership
John McGuinness (Chairman)
Kieran O’Donnell (Vice Chairman)
Paul J Connaughton,
John Deasy,
Paschal Donohoe,
Anne Ferris,
Simon Harris,
Michael McCarthy,
Mary Lou McDonald,
Sean Fleming,
Eoghan Murphy,
Derek Nolan,
Shane Ross