Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the appointments to State boards, bodies or committees made since 24 May 2007 to date in 2007; the State boards, bodies or committees on which vacancies exist; the number of vacancies in each case; the State boards, bodies or committees in which vacancies are anticipated to arise up to and including 1 January 2008; and the number of vacancies in each case. [18829/07]

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 283: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of appointments to State boards, State bodies or other like entities which he envisages making or nominating in the period 1 July to 31 December 2007; the board, body or entity involved in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19035/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 283 together.

No appointments have been made to State boards, bodies, committees or other like entities under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the period 24 May to date. Vacancies are due to arise in the following bodies over the next six months:

The terms of office of the current Development Education Advisory Committee (DEAC) expired on 30 June 2007. Appointments for a new committee are currently under consideration. The size of the Committee normally varies between 12 and 16 members. The function of the Committee is to offer policy advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and to the responsible Minister of State on development education and on ways of increasing knowledge and understanding of development issues in Ireland.

The terms of office of the current Díon Committee will expire in September and consideration will be given in due course to appointments to a new Committee. The Committee was established in 1984 and is based in the Embassy of Ireland in London. Its function is to advise the Minister for Foreign Affairs on applications for funding from organisations that support our emigrants in Britain, as well as on issues of interest and concern to the Irish community. The current Committee comprises six members in addition to the Chair and Secretary, both of whom are serving officials at the Embassy of Ireland in London.