Written Answers. - Departmental Expenditure.
Noel Dempsey
Ceist:
92
Mr. Dempsey
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs
the total cost and the percentage cost of his overall Departmental budget for the Irish Aid Programme for each of the years from 1995 to 1997; the number and grades of staff employed in its operation for the same period; the status, names and functions of those organisations charged with the implementation of the Irish Aid Programme; the total number of separate reviews, if any, made of the Irish Aid Programme since its inception; and the reason for each such review.
[1154/97]
Official Development Assistance includes payments from Central Funds and elements of other Department's votes as well as expenditure from the Department of Foreign Affairs. The figures are as follows:
|
ODA Expenditure
|
ODA Expenditure from Dept. of Foreign Affairs
|
ODA as a % of Total Dept of Foreign Affairs budget
|
|
£
|
£
|
%
|
|
1995
|
96.8m
|
65.5m
|
78
|
|
1996
|
106m
|
77.2m
|
74
|
|
1997
|
122m
|
93.0m
|
77
|
Staff of Irish Aid Programme:
(i) Staff grades and numbers at 31 December 1995Headquarters:
1 Assistant Secretary
3 Counsellors
9 Higher Executive Officers-Third Secretaries
7 Executive Officers
11 Clerical Officers
11 Clerical Assistants
Contract Staff:
(i)Headquarters:
1 Chief Analyst
1 Health Analyst
1 Rural Development Analyst
1 Internal Auditor
1 Accountant
1 Information Officer
(ii)Field Positions:
65 Technical Assistants on Irish Aid projects.
(ii) Staff grades and numbers at 31 December 1996
Headquarters:
1 Assistant Secretary
3 Counsellors
9 First Secretaries-Assistant Principals
11 Higher Executive Officers-Third Secretaries-Administrat-ive Officers
7 Executive Officers
11 Clerical Officers
11 Clerical Assistants
Contract Staff:
(i)Headquarters:
1 Chief Analyst
1 Health Analyst
1 Education Analyst
1 Internal Auditor
1 Accountant
(ii)Field Positions:
50 Technical Assistants on Irish Aid projects
Organisations which assist in the implementation of the Irish Aid Programme:
The implementation of the Irish aid programme is the responsibility of the development co-operation division of the Department of Foreign Affairs. A number of organisations assist the division in undertaking specific functions:
APSO is a State-sponsored body which is concerned primarily with the transfer of skills to developing countries by qualified Irish people.
The Refugee Agency is a non-statutory body which co-ordinates arrangements for the admission, reception and resettlement of programme refugees to Ireland.
The National Committee for Development Education is a broadly based committee of people with an interest and expertise in the development education sector. The committee administers development education grants, provides support and advisory services on development issues and helps to formulate and promote good development education.
The Irish Aid Advisory Committee is an independent committee which was set up to provide expert advice to the Minister for Foregin Affairs on matters relating to development co-operation and policy aspects of the Irish aid programme.
Review of the Irish Aid Programme:
The Irish aid programme is subject to review every three years by the development assistance committee of OECD — the most recent review was published in 1995 and is available in the Oireachtas Library. In addition, Irish aid projects are subject to regular review and evaluation by sectoral experts within the development co-operation division with the assistance of independent consultants. A list of the reviews is included in the annual report published by Irish aid, copies of which are also available in the Oireachtas Library.
