Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 November 2012
500. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of officials by grade in his Department that will be working solely on the Presidency for the remainder of 2012; if redeployment or promotion has occurred; if they will be paid any additional allowances or pay; the way these officials were selected; if the selection procedure gave rise to any complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50023/12]
View answerI am advised that my Department has assigned 10 additional staff to Ireland's Permanent Representation to the EU based in Brussels until the end of Ireland's Presidency of the Council of Ministers in mid 2013. The staff assigned to the Permanent Representation in Brussels are paid the appropriate foreign service allowances which attach to such posts. My Department sought expression of interests from staff across the Department in being assigned to Brussels, with the responses resulting in short-listing of staff in some grades and informal selection interviews at all grades. As regards complaints in respect of the selection procedures involved, I am advised that one former officer of my Department has raised some potential concerns which he has but to date no formal complaint has been received.
In Dublin, the International Policy Division of my Department has had 7 additional staff assigned to it to work solely on the Presidency. Those staff whilst additional to that Division's previously assigned staff have been drawn from the reducing number of staff available to my Department as a whole by way of internal transfers taking into account competing priorities and demands across the Department. One of the staff assigned to the International Policy Division specifically for Presidency related work has been promoted on a temporary basis until the end of the Presidency. This promotion was made from a panel established following a competition conducted in 2010 and which was compliant with the Commission of Public Service Appointment Code of Practice.
The following table sets out by grade the number of officials working solely on the Presidency:
|
Principal Officer |
Assistant Principal Officer |
Higher Executive Officer\ Administrative Officer |
Executive Officer |
Clerical Officer |
Total |
|
3 |
3 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
17 |
