Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 February 2025
10. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Taoiseach the measures his Department is taking to encourage civil servants in his Department to take or avail of special leave or career breaks or other forms of leave to encourage and facilitate Ireland's 2026 EU Presidency, the Government "Career for EU" jobs strategy, and the Department's Gaeilge-Irish language policy and promotion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2498/25]
View answer11. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Taoiseach the number of requests to his Department, including the Office of the Attorney General and Government agencies, that have granted requests for various matters (details supplied); the number of such requests that have been refused; and the grounds on which they have been refused. [2499/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together.
The Department of the Taoiseach is supportive of staff availing of special leave or career breaks to take up roles within the European Institutions. Circular 04/2013 sets out the career break scheme for the civil service and is available to all eligible staff in the Department and in the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), the only body under the aegis of the Department.
Several opportunities are available for staff at the Department of the Taoiseach, including the Seconded National Expert (SNE) vacancies for positions in the European Commission which are administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Notices of these vacancies are posted on the Department’s intranet site monthly. The National Experts in Professional Training (NEPT) programme is a bi-annual training scheme where serving civil and public servants have an opportunity to work in the European Commission for a period of three to five months. This programme is also administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and circulated to staff working in the Department of the Taoiseach and NESDO. These programmes provide officials with a first-hand experience of working in the European Commission. The Department has one staff member currently seconded to the European Commission. The National Economic and Social Development Office has no staff on special leave/career break during the period in question.
The Department is currently awaiting the publication of the first of two action plans for the National Plan for Irish Language Public Services which it will engage with fully. The Department will continue to fulfil its obligations under the Official Languages Act following the final provisions of the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 which came into effect on 21 December 2024.
