Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 May 2013
96. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 48 of 2 May 2013, if he will provide an analysis, by type of allowance, of the €8,709,948 allowances paid to headquarter staff working at diplomatic missions in 2012. [23167/13]
View answer97. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade further to Parliamentary Question No. 48 of 2 May 2013, in respect of the €8,709,948 allowances paid to headquarter staff working at diplomatic missions in 2012, if he will confirm the total of allowances paid against vouched receipts. [23168/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 97 together.
Foreign Service Allowances are designed to offset the additional costs that arise for officers when they are temporarily posted abroad. The three main components of the Department’s system of foreign services allowances are as follows.
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is designed to defray costs associated with living in cities where the cost of living is higher than in Dublin, based on data provided by an independent external consultancy. Because COLA is linked to salary and notional net take-home pay it has been reduced in recent years in line with salary reductions in the civil service and with increases in income taxes.
Local Post Allowance (LPA) provides assistance towards the additional indirect costs arising from the representational role of officers. This allowance, which varies according to marital status and grade, is payable at all locations abroad. Officers serving in designated “hardship” posts may also be entitled to a hardship allowance as part of their LPA. Where payable, this hardship element takes account of factors such as personal security and political tension, health, environmental factors, climate and isolation.
Children’s Foreign Allowance (CFA) compensates officers for additional costs incurred with regard to their children aged under 18, or under 21 and in full time education.
The table sets out details of the amounts paid under each heading in 2012. As each element is calculated for each individual officer based on location, grade and family circumstances, and paid with salary, the question of vouching does not arise.
The two other allowances listed in the table below (Foreign Allowance and Displacement Allowance) are part of previous systems of Foreign Service Allowances which have now been replaced for almost all officers by the system comprising COLA, LPA and CFA as described above.
|
Name of Allowance |
Amount paid in 2012 |
|
Cost of Living Allowance |
€2,367,275.10 |
|
Local Post Allowance |
€5,547,143.84 |
|
Children’s Foreign Allowance |
€744,756.20 |
|
Displacement Allowance |
€17,576.05 |
|
Foreign Allowance |
€33,197.74 |
