Vol. 571 No. 3
119 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of staff employed by his Department; the bodies within its aegis which are covered by the benchmarking agreement; the projected costs in 2004 of paying this award; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21645/03]
The Department of Foreign Affairs currently employs 1,615 diplomatic, general service and technical staff at headquarters and abroad. This number includes 75 officers temporarily assigned to the Department in connection with Ireland's forthcoming EU Presidency.
The salaries of some 460 officers are not subject to benchmarking. These include clerical and other support staff employed by Irish diplomatic missions and development staff attached to aid missions or projects whose pay is determined with reference to local conditions, and officers at assistant secretary level and higher.
The Agency for Personal Service Overseas, APSO, a body under the aegis of the Department, employs 19 staff whose salaries are subject to benchmarking.
It is estimated that payment of 50% of the benchmarking awards in January to the approximately 1,174 Department and APSO officers to whom the scheme applies will cost €2.7 million in 2004.
