Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 467: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the estimated administrative costs of each State agency under the control of his Department for 2008 in tabular readable form. [27490/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are no State Agencies operating under the aegis of my Department. However, there are a number of bodies and advisory committees, some of whom have administrative budgets.

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. In 2008, the estimated administrative costs for the Board are €300,000.

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 Fulbright Commission operates on a statutory basis and enjoys autonomy of management and administration in accordance with the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991. The annual Grant-in-Aid figure for 2008 is €254,000, the same amount which has been paid annually since 2001.

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 Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee (previously known as Díon) was set up in 1984 to advise the Government on the welfare of the Irish community in Britain. The Committee makes recommendations on Emigrant Services funding to voluntary organisations that work with vulnerable Irish people resident in Britain. As an advisory body, the Committee has no independent administrative budget or overheads; the administration of the Committee is provided by our Embassy in London and financed within the Department's overall budget.