Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 469: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of reports commissioned in his Department to date in the years 2002 to date in 2008; the reason for each report; the cost of each report; the person who carried out the report; the duration for each report; the date each report was finished or launched; the number that have been implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27606/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes, namely Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Cooperation). Details of twenty three reports commissioned by my Department from 2002 to date in 2008 are set out in this answer.

Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) Reports

Task Force on Policy Regarding Emigrants

The Government established the Task Force in December 2001 to recommend a coherent long term policy approach to meeting the needs of Irish emigrants, with a particular emphasis on the young and vulnerable. The Task Force reported in August 2002. The total cost of the project, including travel, publication and research was €136,086 which included costs incurred of €70,224 for the research element which was carried out by Anglia Polytechnic University. Both Departmental officials and external experts contributed to the work of the Task Force.

Assessment of EU accession training programmes, 2001-2003

In 2004, A&L Goodbody was commissioned to assess the Department's EU accession training programmes. The cost incurred was €4,878. It took one week to complete and was delivered in May 2004. The report relates to an independent assessment by A&L Goodbody of the Public Expenditure Review of the first two years of operation of the Department's Bilateral Assistance Programme to support the public administrations in candidate and acceding countries to the EU in improving their readiness for the demands of EU membership.

The assessment, which was written by Peter Brennan of A&L Goodbody, was delivered in May 2004 and found that "the Department had done a very good and comprehensive job in gathering the evidence on the performance of the Programme to date and on seeking feedback on how the Programme is operating." Most of the recommendations contained in the Review have been implemented. The programme has been extended to new target countries (Croatia, Turkey and Republic of Macedonia), refined for EU membership (i.e. new Member States do not get same priority as candidates) and better performance indicators have been developed and used for new projects.

Assessment of Assistance programmes in Bulgaria and Romania by the IPA

In 2007, BCT Communications Ltd was commissioned to conduct an assessment of the Department-funded capacity building programmes provided by the Institute of Public Administration in 2005/6 to the Bulgarian Institute of Public Administration and European Integration and the Romanian National Institute of Administration. The cost of preparing the report was €20,469. It took one month approximately to complete and was delivered in April 2007.

The report relates to an evaluation that was undertaken of DFA-funded assistance programmes in Bulgaria and Romania, delivered by the Institute of Public Administration (IPA). The evaluation was carried out by Declan Lyons of BCT Communications Ltd. and was carried out in Sofia and Bucharest. The review found that the programmes in Bulgaria and Romania were well designed and executed and that they delivered relevant, significant and obvious benefits to the partner institutes and civil services in each country. The programmes were cost effective and gave value for money. The report recommended that the programmes continue and identified areas for support. A follow-on programme of assistance to the Bulgarian Institute of Public Administration and European Integration (IPAEI) to enhance the capacity of the Bulgarian civil service, particularly in the areas or recruitment and promotion is being delivered in 2008/09.

Conflict Prevention

As part of preparations for Ireland's Presidency of the EU in 2004, the NGO International Alert/Saferworld was commissioned to produce a paper on conflict prevention. It received €10,000 for its work in preparing the paper, a copy of which can be found on International Alert's website, www.international-alert.org.

Human Rights

In April 2008, the Department funded the publication of the report "Bullets in the Alms Bowl", by the Human Rights Documentation Unit of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. The funding provided was €4,000. This report documented the brutal suppression of Burma's September 2007 monk-led protests through 50 detailed eyewitness interviews. It was launched on 17 June 2008.

In June 2008, the Department agreed to fund research by the Irish Human Rights Centre, based at NUI Galway, on the situation of ethnic minority groups in Burma/Myanmar, at a cost of €88,782. This research is to be conducted over a seven month period and will be led by Professor William Schabas. The aim of this study is to produce an authoritative, objective and independent report on the situation of the Rohingyas in Western Burma/Myanmar.

Irish Prisoners Abroad

A report on Irish Prisoners Abroad was launched by the Minister on 13 August 2007. It was prepared by Mr. Chris Flood at a cost of €6,066 (publication costs only). This report was commissioned to further enhance the services we provide to citizens incarcerated abroad. The key recommendations of the report are in the process of being implemented.

Irish Passport Service (Value for Money Review)

In 2008, KPMG was commissioned to conduct a value for money review of the Irish Passport service. It has cost €55,782 and will be available later this year.

Support for Irish Emigrants (Value for Money Review)

The Value for Money and Policy Review of the Support for Irish Emigrants Groups Programme, which was undertaken by Goodbody Economic Consultants, was completed in July 2007. The purpose of the Review was to examine the objectives of the Programme, the economic effectiveness and efficiency with which services are being delivered, and the quality and quantity of the outputs and benefits delivered to our communities abroad. The cost of commissioning the report was €36,400.

Vote 29 (International Co-operation) Reports

The major reports commissioned by Irish Aid between 2002 and 2008 include the Report of the Irish Aid Review Committee in 2002, an Evaluation of Development Cooperation Ireland's Multi-annual Programme Scheme in 2005 and the ongoing Management Review of Irish Aid which is expected to report shortly.

A number of reports have been commissioned by the Advisory Board of Irish Aid (ABIA) relating to themes of relevance to the Irish Aid programme since 2002. There have also been a number of Value for Money studies. These are detailed in tabular form. In addition, there are also a number of other short reports and reviews which are commissioned on operational aspects of the Irish Aid programme on an ongoing basis.

The Hunger Task Force, which was appointed to identify the additional, appropriate and effective contributions that Ireland can make to international efforts to reduce hunger will report shortly.

Advisory Board

The Advisory Board for Irish Aid (ABIA) has commissioned seven research studies, listed in a table.