Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 167: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has received reports from bodies under the aegis of his Department in relation to their operation; if such will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17190/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are four bodies operating under the responsibility of my Department: three Advisory Committees and one Educational Commission.

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 development education policy. The members serve in a voluntary capacity. While I have not received reports relating to the operation of the Committee, the Chairman regularly provides advice to Ministers, including on implementation of the development education strategy of the Department.

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's primary role is to advise on the distribution of Government support to voluntary agencies providing front line services and community care to Irish people in Britain. The Committee is chaired by an official from our Embassy in London and its members serve in a voluntary capacity. The Committee provides ongoing advice to my Department and the Embassy reports to me on the operation of the Committee on a regular basis. In 2007, an independent Value for Money Review reported on my Department's Emigrant Services Programme, including such services provided in Britain. Copies of the Report were lodged with the Houses of the Oireachtas in August 2007.

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. In regard to the Fulbright Commission, I, as Minister for Foreign Affairs under section 5(10) of the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America), Act, 1991, am responsible for laying before both Houses of the Oireachtas a copy of the Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the Fulbright Commission. The most recent Annual Report was forwarded to the Oireachtas Library & Research Service on April 23rd.

The Advisory Board for Irish Aid (ABIA) 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 term of the last Board ended on October 31st 2008. During its lifetime, the Advisory Board for Irish Aid (ABIA) published Annual reports which were made available to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of State for Overseas Development, and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. In addition, a number of detailed analytical studies on themes relevant to development cooperation policy and the Irish Aid programme were commissioned by ABIA in the context of its research mandate.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his Department has commissioned internal or external reports in relation to his Department or bodies under the aegis of his Department in the past five years; if so, the objectives of such reports; the cost of same; if such reports have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17204/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes: Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) and Vote 29 (International Development). Details of reports commissioned by my Department in the past five years are set out as follows. It should be noted that in addition to the reports detailed as follows, my Department produces an Annual Report. It is no longer published in hard copy but, instead, is placed on the Department's website after it has been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. Irish Aid also produces an Annual Report, which in 2008, was produced at a cost of €14,064. While this is not formally laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas, a copy is sent directly to all members of the Oireachtas and a number of copies are placed in the library of the Houses of the Oireachtas. My Department also publishes a Strategy Statement, most recently the Statement of Strategy 2008 – 2010. This report is produced internally with the most recent version incurring printing costs of €7,703. It is also available on the Department's website.

Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs) Reports

Support for Irish Emigrants (Value for Money Review)

The Value for Money and Policy Review of the Support for Irish Emigrant Groups Programme was undertaken by Goodbody Economic Consultants, and completed in July, 2007. The purpose of the Review was to examine the objectives of the Support for Irish Emigrant Groups Programme, the economic effectiveness and efficiency with which services were being delivered, and the quality and quantity of the outputs and benefits delivered to our communities abroad. The total cost of the report, including VAT, was €45,254. Copies of the Report were lodged with the Houses of the Oireachtas on 1 August 2007.

In June 2007, the Department contracted Annesley Consulting to complete an independent Quality Assessment of The Value for Money and Policy Review of the Support for Irish Emigrant Groups Programme, in line with best practice. The total cost of the Assessment was €3,751, including VAT. Annesley Consulting's Quality Assessment was completed in mid July 2007 and provided to the Sectoral Policy Division in the Department of Finance. The report was not laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

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 was not laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

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 was not laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Report on the reasons underlying the result of the Lisbon Treaty Referendum and public attitudes to Ireland's role in the European Union - Millward Brown IMS

A report was commissioned by my Department to analyse the result of the Lisbon Treaty Referendum and public attitudes to Ireland's future role in the European Union. The key objective of this national survey of public attitudes was to understand the reasons underlying voting decisions in the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon on 12 June 2008. The report cost €138,061 including VAT. The report was not laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Minister sent a copy of the report directly to each member of the Oireachtas and directed that a number of copies be placed in the library of the Houses of the Oireachtas. This report was published on the 10th September 2008 and is available on the Department's website.

Attitudes and Behaviour in the Referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon– UCD/GEARY Institute Report

A report carried out by UCD and the Geary Institute was commissioned to undertake detailed statistical analysis of the quantitative data gathered by Millward Brown IMS, and also draw on other sources, including Euro-barometer surveys, opinion polls, and General Election and other referendum results, in order to analyse why people voted yes or no, or abstained in the referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon. The cost of this report was €11,800. The report was not laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Minister sent a copy of the report directly to each Member of the Oireachtas. This report was published on the 8 March 2009 and is available on the Department's website.

Annual Report on Developments in the European Union

Under the terms of the EU (Scrutiny) Act 2002, the Department of Foreign Affairs compiles an Annual Report on Developments in the European Union on the basis of submissions received from all Government Departments. This report is laid before the Houses of Oireachtas. The First such Report was produced internally. Production of the Second, Third and Fourth reports was outsourced. Printing, design and translation costs were approximately €7,300 for the Second, Third and Fourth Report respectively. However in 2008, the Department produced the report internally and so the cost incurred is for translation only, which was €3,219 for the Fifth Report .

In addition, under the terms of the EU (Scrutiny) Act 2002, the Minister lays a report twice yearly before the Houses of Oireachtas in relation to measures, proposed measures and other developments in relation to the European Union for which the Minister has lead responsibility. There are no costs incurred in producing these reports.

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. The report was not laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

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. The report was not laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Irish Passport Service (Value for Money Review)

This value for money review was undertaken by KPMG to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the passport service and to provide recommendations to the Department that will underpin the provision of a cost effective, quality passport service in the coming years. Work on the review was completed in June 2008. The total cost of the review, including VAT, was €71,384. Copies of the report were lodged with the Houses of the Oireachtas in November 2008 and the report is also published on the Department's website.

Vote 29 (International Co-operation) Reports

The Department of Foreign Affairs, through Irish Aid, commissions reports as part of its ongoing evaluation process designed to ensure value for money in its development activities and in relation to strategic development policy.

The major reports commissioned by Irish Aid between 2004 and 2009 include an evaluation of the Multi-annual Programme Scheme with its larger NGO partners in 2005; a Public Expenditure Review of Ireland's Support for Education in Uganda and Zambia in 2005; and the Management Review of Irish Aid which is expected to be submitted to the Government shortly. In addition, the Hunger Task Force, which was appointed to identify the contribution that Ireland can make to international efforts to reduce hunger, submitted its report to the Government in 2008. Reports and reviews commissioned by Irish Aid on aspects of the Irish Aid programme, including those highlighted above are detailed in the following table.

Notes

1. * Estimated cost; assignment not yet complete

2. In the case of assignments that are work-in-progress, budgeted costs are given

All of the reports mentioned and the operational reviews have informed the design and implementation of the Irish Aid programme. All Irish Aid publications may be found on the Irish Aid website at http://www.irishaid.gov.ie.

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 term of the Board ended on October 31st 2008. During its lifetime, the Advisory Board for Irish Aid (ABIA) published Annual Reports which were made available to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of State for Overseas Development, and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs. In addition, a number of detailed analytical studies on themes relevant to development cooperation policy and the Irish Aid programme were commissioned by ABIA in the context of its research mandate. A list of these studies is set out as follows.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 169: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has received reports from bodies under the aegis of his Department in relation to their operation; if such will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17182/09]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 170: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his Department has commissioned internal or external reports in relation to his Department or bodies under the aegis of his Department in the past five years; if so, the objectives of such reports; the cost of same; if such reports have been laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17196/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 170 together.

The bodies under the aegis of the Department submit their annual reports to me as required under the relevant legislation or other governing arrangements establishing the bodies, and these reports are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. In addition, reports on various aspects of the operations of these bodies are received by the Department in the context of its normal ongoing governance relationship with the bodies. Such reports would not be laid before the Houses.

In respect of reports commissioned in the past five years into the operation of the Department and/or bodies under its aegis, details are as set out in tabular form as follows.

These are in addition to routine internal audit reports and expenditure review reports conducted in relation to the Department and the bodies under its aegis.