My Department does not employ any agency staff but 26 staff are employed on a contract basis. This figure includes seven graduates with qualifications in EU related disciplines who were recruited on a contract basis to support Ireland's work on the EU Presidency following an open competition held earlier this year. Their contracts will end when the EU Presidency is over in July, 2013. One member of staff is employed on a contract to cover for someone on long term sick leave. 18 contract staff in my Department are staff whom I appointed and whose contracts are coterminous with my term of office as Taoiseach e.g. my Special Advisers, Personal Assistants, etc. All staff on contracts are included in my Department's payroll. Their salary costs are monitored and managed as part of the overall payroll management system together with the payroll costs for permanent staff.
Question No. 165 answered with Question No. 163.