Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I am grateful for the Minister of State's reply. What is the relationship of the interdepartmental committee to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs? I was trying to tease out in my question the relationship of the advisory board to the new interdepartmental committee. My understanding is that the advisory board's advice to the Minister is not published nor is it available to us in the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. Is the advice or the advisory board accountable to the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs?

The final question is very practical. What is the role of Irish Aid within the Department of Foreign Affairs in regard to the selection of projects? Is it the case that Irish Aid decides the project or that it monitors the project upon which a decision has been given by the interdepartmental committee, in other words the Vote in relation to Irish Aid? Are the decisions on the principles taken within Irish Aid or has its role changed so that it now monitors the expenditure on decisions taken by the committee?

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