My Department regularly reviews its staff assignments to ensure that our resources are being used to support our work in the most effective and strategic manner possible. In this regard, consideration is given to achieving a balance between facilitating temporary secondment opportunities while also retaining key expertise within my Department for ongoing responsibilities. These secondments can be within the state or overseas.
Currently, my Department has a total of 28 officers on secondments including through the EU’s Seconded National Experts programme. Of the 28 arrangements, nine continue to be paid by the Department. In these instances, the roles undertaken are considered to provide employees with skills and experiences which have potential to benefit the Department.
Details of the nine arrangements where salary is currently costed to my Department are outlined below. The table reflects annual salary costs based on 2021 figures in instances where the secondment spans the full 2021 financial year. However, as two of the National Expert secondments have recently commenced their assignments, the anticipated annual cost is reflected.
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Department/Office seconded to
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Number of individuals
|
Role
|
Annual Cost to DAFM (figures reflect 2021)
|
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Marine Institute
|
6
|
Aquaculture/Fisheries research & analysis
|
€347,476.98
|
|
Department of Foreign Affairs
|
1
|
National Expert on secondment to the European Food Safety Authority within the Animal Health & Welfare Unit. Location: Parma Italy.
|
€100,633.39
|
|
Department/Office seconded to
|
Number of individuals
|
Role
|
Anticipated Annual Cost to DAFM
|
|
Department of Foreign Affairs
|
2
|
National Expert in Professional Training
|
Secondment duration of 5 months at an anticipated cost of €12,500.
|
|
|
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National Expert on secondment to Directorate-General Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) of the Commission. Monitoring and supervising official controls on public, animal and plant health, in relation to the implementation of the
Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland
|
€76,708 pa based on 2022 salary points
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