Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The advisory board for Development Co-operation Ireland was established in 2002 to provide general oversight and advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the strategic direction of the Government's programme of assistance to developing countries. All members serve in a voluntary capacity for a term of three years. They are appointed on the basis of their individual expertise and ability to contribute to the work of the board.

The advisory board has recently been included as a prescribed public body under the Ethics in Public Office Regulations 2004, SI No. 699 of 2004. As of 1 January, if any member has a material interest in a function that falls to be performed, he or she is obliged to declare that interest in writing, to the other members of the board. Board members are required to provide an annual statement which will either be a nil-return form or a statement-of-interests form to the executive secretary to the board and to the standards commission by 31 January 2006 in respect of the calendar year 2005. The practice relating to appointments to the other three boards and committees under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs, namely, the development education advisory board, Díon committee — an advisory committee to the Government established in response to concerns about the situation of Irish emigrants in Britain — and the Ireland-United States commission for educational exchange, or the Fulbright Commission, is to appoint people who have a proven track record in each board's area of competence as well as a keen awareness of the particular issues arising in these areas. All members of these bodies serve in a voluntary capacity with the exception of the chairperson and secretary of the Díon committee who are officials at the Irish Embassy in London.

As the Deputy will be aware, as Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources I wrote to the Minister for Finance suggesting that tax clearance certificates should be required of persons appointed to boards. I understand that the Minister for Finance is currently considering the matter. When the Minister has completed these considerations, I will review the situation in my Department.