Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Oct 1996

Vol. 469 No. 3

Written Answers. - EU Presidency Staff.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

4 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of persons employed by him on a full-time, part-time and contract basis for the duration of the Irish Presidency of the EU; the total costs involved in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17221/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

I refer the Deputy to the replies of 6 February 1996 to Questions Nos. 30, 57 and 75 and of 24 April 1996 to Question No. 65 and of 25 April 1996 to Question No. 5, which outline the additional staffing arrangements for the Department of Foreign Affairs for the period of the Irish Presidency.

The additional staff are required to enable the Department of Foreign Affairs to carry out its Presidency responsibilities efficiently and effectively. The 1996 Presidency will be more onerous and demanding than any of Ireland's previous Presidencies, in particular because of the substantial expansion in the activities of the European Union since the Maastricht Treaty and the fact that the Inter-Governmental Conference to review the Maastricht Treaty is taking place during our Presidency.

The current Presidency staffing position is as follows:

Full-time staff: 79 permanent, established civil servants from other Departments or recruitment panels have been assigned to the Department of Foreign Affairs for the Presidency. They will be redeployed to other Government Departments after the Presidency.

Part-time staff: There are no part-time staff employed in the Department of Foreign Affairs for the Presidency.

Contract staff: A total of 22 staff have been employed on a contract basis for the Presidency. The contract for one of this group has already expired which leaves 21 who are currently working.

The duration of the above assignments ranges from six months to one year. The projected staffing costs in this regard are as follows: Permanent staff: £977,506; Contract staff: £384,257.

No additional staff have been employed in the Office of the Tánaiste for the Presidency.