Written Answers. - Consultancy Contracts.
Phil Hogan
Ceist:
61
Mr. Hogan
asked the
Minister for Foreign Affairs
the amount of funding for consultancy and related study contracts which has been approved as part of the 2002 departmental Estimates and the budgets of each organisation and agency falling within the Department's aegis for this type of work; the degree of cutback compared to 2001; the consultancy projects which have been cancelled or postponed as a consequence of the cutbacks; the capital projects which will be postponed as a consequence of the cutback in consultancy budgets; the consultancy projects under consideration with his Department and its agencies which will be funded in 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10925/02]
An allocation of €279, 000 is provided under subhead A7 in respect of consultancy for the Vote of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Vote 38, for 2002. This is slightly less than the allocation for 2001 which included a once-off provision of €32,000 in respect of the upgrade of the Department's payroll system.
Funding of €12.44 million and €3.83 million has been provided in this year's Estimates for the development of a new and more secure passport production system and the upgrade of the Department's IT and communications networks, respectively. Included in these provisions are amounts to cover the cost of consultancies in respect of each project.
In addition to this, the sum of €23,900 as fees and €15,650 as expenses was approved for 2002 for a consultant engaged by my Department as a programme manager for the Irish College in Paris. There is no cutback as compared to 2001.
The contract of a cultural programme co-ordinator who in 2001 received €45,766.44 as salary and €12,584.36 as expenses, has not been renewed in 2002 as a consequence of budgetary cutbacks.
It has not been necessary to postpone any capital projects as a result of budgetary cutbacks.
The development co-operation division commissions a significant number of consultancies, funding for which is provided for under subhead A7 of Vote 39. The approved budget for this subhead for 2002 is €1.893 million, comprising fees of €1.580 million and expenses of €313,000. There have been no cutbacks, postponements or cancellations in the programme of consultancies.
The consultancies cover a broad range of disciplines, with particular emphasis on appraisal and evaluation of development programmes. A number of experts will also be engaged to assist in the evaluation of funding proposals submitted to Ireland Aid for emergency relief and recovery funding. Some information regarding consultancies which will be funded in the course of the year is attached.
A number of entities operate under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs. These include the Agency for Personal Service Overseas, APSO, the National Committee for Development Education, NCDE, and the Irish Aid Advisory Committee, IAAC.
In the case of APSO, provision was made in their 2002 estimates for €126,974 for research and evaluation consultancies to take place during 2002. APSO consultancies have not been impacted by any cutbacks. The consultancies under consideration by APSO at present are routine evaluations of overseas aid programmes.
The NCDE has made provision of €393,858 for consultancies in their 2002 Estimates. These consultancies planned for 2002 include the following areas: education, research, training, capacity building, communications, information and evaluation. NCDE consultancies have not been impacted by any cutbacks.
IAAC have a number of consultancies under consideration at present, these may include studies in the areas of humanitarian aid, responses to HIV-AIDS and private sector development in developing countries. Provision will be made for these consultancies from IAAC's overall budget allocation.
Consultancies Underway in 2002
Assistance to IA in developing new instruments for the channelling of funds to Irish NGOs for HIV-AIDS Programmes
Participation in ongoing monitoring and review of Ireland Aid Education Programmes
Evaluation of NGO Block Grant Scheme in Kenya, Uganda and Malawi
Participation in Sidama Area-based Programme Evaluation – Ethiopia
Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPRS) Needs Assessment – Ethiopia
Participation in ongoing support to Ireland Aid in the Health Sector
On-going participation in the International Working Group and formulation of policy and incentives for the ASEM Initiative on Lifelong Learning
Review of Teacher Education in the context of the Education Sector Development Programme – Ethiopia
Provision of technical support to Joint Task Force on Teacher Education in Ethiopia
Review of current practice in Lesson Learning from evaluations at country level
Review of Ireland Aid Country Programme – Lesotho
Health – Intermittent Specialist Support
Participation in ongoing monitoring of Ireland Aid support to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVA)
Evaluation (1) of in-country Microprojects Scheme
Evaluation (2) of in-country Microprojects Scheme
Support to IA's Health Advisors
Review of current support to Rwanda – Phase 1
Review of current support to Rwanda – Phase 2
Support to the Evaluation and Audit Unit – Dublin
Provision of technical support to the Ugandan National Examinations Board (UNEB) for their National Conference in Education.
Consultancies Under Review for 2002
Review of Reproductive Health Interventions
Education Sector Development Plan – Ethiopia
Preparation of Country Strategy Paper – Lesotho
Public Sector Reform Programme – Mozambique
Review of Support to Pro-Agri – Mozambique
Water and Sanitation: Situation Analysis – Mozambique
Design and Monitoring Systems in Area-based Programmes – Mozambique
E-Justice Programme – South Africa
Review of Human Rights and Democratisation Scheme
Review of Foreign Investment Advisory Services (FIAS)
International Fund for Agricultural Development
Support to Health HIV-AIDS
Support to Health and Education
Support to Water and Sanitation
Support to Health
Possibility Of Introducing an Audit Committee
Introduction of Risk Management System in Ireland Aid
Appraisal for Applications under the Ireland Aid NGO HIV-AIDS Partnership Programme
Appointment to Ireland Aid NGO HIV-AIDS Partnership Programme Approval Committee
Ireland Aid Multi-Annual Programme Scheme
Evaluation of the Main NGO Co-Financing Scheme
Design and related services for the production of the Ireland Aid Annual Report.
