Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 115: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the planned increases to staffing levels in Irish Aid over the course of 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39514/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The White Paper on Irish Aid recognises that the enormous expansion in the size of the aid programme will place heavy demands on those administering it. The Government has committed to undertaking a major review of the management of the Irish Aid programme. The review will embrace the financial and administrative systems, approval, monitoring, audit and evaluation mechanisms, management information systems and the management and technical competencies necessary to guide the programme through this era of growth.

The staffing requirement will be considered in the context of this management review. The review will be conducted by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Finance. A report will be made to Government with recommendations.

In addition, sanction has already been conveyed by the Minister for Finance for an additional 20 posts in my Department's Development Cooperation Directorate. The filling of these posts will be completed during the course of 2007.