Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 686: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of public appointments made by his Department since 1997. [1146/06]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 687: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of public appointments currently vacant and yet to made by his Department. [1147/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 686 and 687 together.

Since 1997, I or my predecessors have made the following appointments to bodies under the aegis of this Department.

The Advisory Board of Ireland Aid was established in August 2002 and the following were appointed to the board:

The advisory board was chaired by Mr. Desmond O'Malley from August 2002 until July 2003. Mr. Chris Flood was appointed chairperson in September 2003. Also in September 2003, the name of the board was changed to the Advisory Board for Development Co-operation Ireland.

In November 2005, the board was reconstituted and the following people were appointed:

The Development Education Advisory Committee, DEAC, was set up in 2003 to offer policy advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Development Co-operation Ireland on development education and on ways to increase knowledge and understanding of development issues in Ireland. Its members are appointed for a period of two years in their personal capacity. The following were appointed to DEAC on its inception in 2003:

The following were appointed to the committee in 2005:

The Irish Refugee Agency was created in 1991. Board members were appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs for two year periods and boards were composed of an independent chairperson and representatives of relevant Departments connected with the admission of refugees to Ireland. Observers also attended on behalf of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, as well as a number of voluntary agencies and individuals active in the field of refugee welfare.

In April 2001 the refugee agency was integrated into the Reception and Integration Agency which operates under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The following appointments were made between 1997 and April 2001:

The Agency for Personal Service Overseas, APSO, was established in 1973 as a semi-State body operating under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs, with a board of directors appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The following is a list of the board of directors of APSO as at 31 December for each of the years 1997 until its integration into my Department on 1 January 2004:

On Díon Committee on Emigrant support in Britain, in February 2003 the Díon budgetary allocation was transferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Díon committee has come under the aegis of my Department since then. The following were appointed or reappointed to the Díon committee on 1 September, 2004:

With the exception of the chair and secretary, who are serving officials in the Embassy of Ireland in London, the committee members serve in a voluntary capacity.

The Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange — the Fulbright Commission — finances study, research, teaching and other educational activities between Ireland and the United States of America. The following people have been appointed by me or by my predecessor from 1998 to date.

Encounter is an organisation which promotes improved contact and understanding between Ireland and Britain. Professor Terence Brown served as Irish joint chair of Encounter from 1996 to 2002. Since Professor Brown's retirement from the chair, Ms Dorothea Melvin, a board member, has served as acting Irish joint chairman. The appointment of an Irish chair remains under review.

Other than the vacancy for the Irish joint chair of the Encounter organisation, there are no vacancies on any of the bodies which fall under the aegis of my Department.