Gerry Adams
Ceist:
149
Deputy Gerry Adams
asked the
Taoiseach
if the additional staff his Department plans to take on in relation to Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union will be new appointments to the Civil Service or will be transferred from other Departments; if the posts will be open to competition internally in the Civil Service or externally; the total cost of the positions and the length of contracts that will be available to the new staff.
[24917/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Dominic Hannigan
Ceist:
150
Deputy Dominic Hannigan
asked the
Taoiseach
his plans to recruit graduates into his Department this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[24943/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
The Taoiseach: I propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 150 together.
In view of the temporary nature of the work involved in planning and preparing for the forthcoming EU Presidency the emphasis being taken in relation to the filling of posts is to manage as far as possible within existing departmental resources, to seek redeployment from elsewhere in the public service or to fill them by way of temporary recruitment following an open competition. Last year other Departments and Offices were asked if they would be able to second staff to my Department to work on the Presidency and two staff joined my Department following this process.
Following an open competition held earlier this year a number of graduates with qualifications on EU related disciplines are being recruited on a temporary basis to support Ireland's work on the EU Presidency. To date six graduates have been recruited from the panel and I expect four more to be recruited shortly. The employment contracts of staff recruited from the panel are for up to 18 months. The total annual salary cost to my Department of staff redeployed or recruited for the EU Presidency so far is €290,264, including employers, PRSI.
My Department also intends to recruit a number of Administrative Officer Economists later this year from a separate open competition that was held by the Public Appointments Service. The recruitment of graduates with specialist economic skills is considered necessary to support my Department's policy capacity in this important area.
