Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 387: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the arrangements that apply in respect of agencies associated with his Department in regard to booking accommodation, travel arrangements, entertainment allowances for meals and so on for officials, board members or directors; if these arrangements apply when the agency involved may host a Minister or Minister of State for functions or occasions at home or abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37212/09]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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There are no state agencies operating under the responsibility of my Department. However, there are currently three bodies; two Advisory Committees and one Educational Commission, which operate under the aegis of my Department. All members serving on these bodies do so in a voluntary capacity and are not in receipt of a salary or fee. 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, the Minister of State and Irish Aid on development education policy. 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 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. As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have some statutory obligations in regard to this organisation, including the appointment of four members of the eight-member Commission. In addition, 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. The work of the Board was funded by an annual budget allocation under Vote 29 (International Co-operation) of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In respect of the Fulbright Commission, I, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, have no statutory role in regard to the management of the Commission. The management of the Fulbright Commission, to which my Department provides an annual grant in aid, enjoys full autonomy of management and administration in accordance with the Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991. Accordingly, the question of the travel or entertainment allowances does not arise. Members serving on the Government Emigrant Services Advisory Committee, are entitled to claim for costs of official travel undertaken either attending meetings of the body or when engaged on overseas travel on behalf of the body. Members serving on the Development Education Advisory Committee and the Advisory Board for Irish Aid may claim for vouched travel and accommodation costs associated with participation in meetings. In the case of the Advisory Board for Irish Aid, members may claim the costs of overseas travel on behalf of the body and subsistence allowances at standard rates. These travel and subsistence costs are paid in accordance with the internal travel guidelines operating in my Department, which are in turn fully compliant with the Department of Finance guidelines on travel.

Members of these bodies do not receive entertainment allowances. The budget allocation to the Advisory Board for Irish Aid covered research and administration. This included a number of incidental expenses, including the hosting by the Chairman of a small number of lunches in connection with meetings of the Board.