"UNOFFICIAL Irish ambassadors across the globe" is how the Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, described APSO volunteers last year. Recruited for their expertise and experience, some 1,400 APSO personnel are working in over 70 countries in a state project with an annual budget of £10.5 million.
The Government's £100 million aid programme, first published by the Fianna Fail Labour coalition in 1993, pledges to increase APSO volunteer numbers to 2,000 by next year, subject to local resources and employment.
APSO's Central American office was established in 1993, and some 47 assignees work in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Belize. In El Salvador most of the highly skilled and experienced personnel work with co operatives, non governmental organisations, and on investigations into human rights abuses. A two month introductory course in Spanish precedes the two year contracts.