Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 95: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the appointments to State boards, bodies or committees made since 3 July 2007 to date in 2008; the names of the persons so appointed; the dates on which the names of those persons were published in [i]Iris Oifigiúil[/i]; the State boards, bodies or committees on which vacancies currently 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 October 2008; and the number of vacancies in each case. [12530/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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There are no State boards or bodies operating under the responsibility of my Department. There are currently four advisory committees and one educational commission which operate under the aegis of my Department. Appointments to these committees are not published in Iris Oifigiúil.

The Development Education Advisory Committee was established 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. The current committee of eleven members was appointed in November 2007 for a term of two years. The members are:

Peadar Cremin, (Chair) President Mary Immaculate College Limerick

Maria Barry, Director of Education, Trócaire

Sheelagh Drudy, Professor of Education, University College Dublin

Sarah Kelleher, Director, Lourdes Youth and Community Services

Su-Ming Khoo, Lecturer, National University of Ireland Galway

Eamon Kinch, Chairman, Léargas

Stephen McCloskey, Director, Centre for Global Education Belfast

Colm Regan, Director, 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World

Patsy Toland, Convenor, Irish Development Education Association

Peter Johnson — nominee of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment

Robert Kirkpatrick — nominee of the Department of Education and Science

There are currently no vacancies on the Committee and none are expected until its term ends on 31 October 2009.

The Advisory Board for Irish Aid 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 Board was reconstituted in November 2005 with a membership of sixteen. Members were appointed for a three year term. There have been no new appointments to the Board from July 2007 to date. As there are currently no vacancies on the Board, it is not envisaged that there will be any new appointments to the Board before the end of October 2008, when the mandate of the current Board expires.

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. There are 15 members of the Task force and no vacancies are expected to arise before the Task Force completes its final report, which is expected in the summer of this year. The members of the Task Force are:

Mr Joe Walsh TD (Chair — Former Minister for Agriculture)

Nancy Aburi, Independent consultant, formerly of Self Help International

Dr Pamela K Anderson, Director General, International Potato Centre, Lima, Peru

Tom Arnold, CEO, Concern

Paul Hewson (Bono)

Kevin Farrell, Head of WFP, Zimbabwe

Professor Michael Gibney, UCD

Professor Lawrence Haddad, IDS, UK

Justin Kilcullen, CEO, Trócaire

Aidan O'Driscoll, Assistant Secretary, Department of Agriculture

Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University, New York

Professor Lucy, UCC

Josette Sheeran, Executive Director WFP

Sheila Sisulu, Deputy Executive Director WFP

Secretary: Brendan McMahon, Director, Emergency and Recovery Section, Irish Aid.

The Fulbright Commission (The Board of the Ireland — United States Commission for Educational Exchange) finances study, research, teaching and other educational activities between Ireland and the United States of America. I am responsible for the appointment of four members of the eight-member Commission. The most recent appointment was made in May 2007. No vacancies are expected to arise in the period up to 1 October 2008.

The Díon Committee (Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee for Britain), which advises on support for our emigrant communities in Britain. I recently approved the restructuring of this Advisory Committee to expand the membership from eight to twelve in order to ensure the Committee is more regionally reflective of the Irish community in Britain. The term of office of the outgoing Committee ended last year and the appointment of twelve new members is imminent.