Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 223: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, further to a previous parliamentary question, he will provide details of the incremental costs of all bodies from set up and annual budget with a break down of annual overheads. [35913/07]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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In my reply to the Deputy's previous Question No. 101 on 22 November 2007, I outlined details of the new boards, agencies, bodies, commissions and offices which were established in the past ten years and the number which were abolished in the same period operating under the remit of my Department.

I have outlined below further details in relation to these bodies, including their budgets and staff numbers where possible. As the previous question asked about the last ten years, I have given details relating to this period.

The Advisory Board for Irish Aid, which replaced the Irish Aid Advisory Committee, was established in August 2002 to provide general oversight and advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State for Overseas Development on the strategic direction of the Government's programme of assistance to developing countries.

The Development Education Advisory Committee (DEAC) was appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in 2003 following the recommendations of the Ireland Aid Review Committee. Its purpose is to advise the Minister, Minister of State and Irish Aid on policy regarding development education. As an advisory body, it has no independent budget or overheads; the administration of DEAC is serviced by the Department of Foreign Affairs from the Department's overall budget.

The Díon Advisory Committee was set up in response to concern about the situation of Irish emigrants in Britain in 1984. The Committee advises the Government and makes recommendations on Emigrant Services funding to voluntary organisations that work with vulnerable Irish people resident in Britain. In February 2003, these responsibilities were transferred to the Department of Foreign Affairs from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. As an advisory body, the Committee has no independent budget or overheads; the administration of the Committee is provided by our Embassy in London and financed within the Department's overall budget.

The Ireland — United States Commission for Educational Exchange (the Fulbright Commission) The Fulbright Commission finances study, research, teaching and other educational activities between Ireland and the United States of America. The Fulbright Commission has eight members and enjoys autonomy of management and administration in accordance with the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991. From 1997 until 2000 the Grant-in-Aid given to the Commission was £100,000 annually. In 2001 the annual Grant-in-Aid figure was increased to €254,000 per annum and has remained at this level since then.

The Hunger Task Force was established in September 2007, in line with the recommendation of the White Paper on Irish Aid, to identify the contributions that Ireland can make to international efforts to reduce hunger. The Task Force has 16 members and had its first meeting in September 2007. As an advisory body, the Committee has no independent budget or overheads; its administration is serviced by the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Bodies abolished, replaced or transferred (between 1997-2007)

The Irish Aid Advisory Committee (IAAC) was in existence between 1993 and 2002. Its purpose was to provide advice to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the strategic direction of the Government's programme of assistance to developing countries. In 2002, as stated above, it was replaced by the Advisory Board for Irish Aid.

The National Committee for Development Education (NCDE) was established in 1994 to promote development education throughout all sectors. It was abolished at the end of December 2002 following the recommendations of the 2002 Ireland Aid Review Committee and was succeeded by the Development Education Advisory Committee.

The Agency for Personal Service Overseas (APSO) was established by the Government in March 1974 to promote and sponsor temporary service in the developing countries of the world. The activities of APSO were formally integrated into the Development Cooperation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs on 1 January 2004

The Irish Refugee Agency was created in 1991, under the aegis of the Department of Foreign Affairs, to assist with the integration of Vietnamese refugees in Ireland, and it subsequently assisted with Bosnian and Kosovar refugees. In 2001, following the recommendations in the report of the Interdepartmental Group on the Integration of Refugees in Ireland, the Government decided to replace the existing structures for dealing with refugees (including the Refugee Agency) with the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA), under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

The Cultural Relations Committee (CRC) was established in 1949 under the aegis of the then Department of External Affairs, and was transferred from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism in 2002. The role and function of the CRC was to advise the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the administration of the annual Grant-in-Aid voted by the Oireachtas for the development of cultural relations with other countries. Its administration was serviced by the Department of Foreign Affairs.