Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 January 2026
212. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of EU Presidency policy and administrative officers now employed on temporary contracts; her plans being developed to retain or utilise these people once their contracts end, given at that stage they will have extensive and intimate knowledge of EU and Irish institutional operations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3587/26]
View answerAs of 15 January 2026, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade employs 72 Presidency Policy Officers at its headquarters in Dublin on fixed-term contracts for the planning, preparation and delivery of Ireland's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union or to backfill permanent officers assigned to those tasks. These officers are remunerated at the first point of the Administrative Officer standard scale.
The Department has also hired 14 EU Presidency Policy Officers and 9 EU Presidency Administration Officers based in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels on temporary contracts for similar purposes. Additionally, as of 15 January 2026, one Presidency Policy Officer has been hired by the Embassy of Ireland in Belgium and one Presidency Policy Officer by the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. A number of other diplomatic missions across Europe have received sanction to enable them to also recruit, on temporary contracts, EU Presidency Policy Officers.
The Department has also facilitated employing a number of temporary presidency staff for other government departments based in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels.
Those recruited on these fixed-term contracts are making a key contribution to planning, as they will to the delivery of Ireland's Presidency. The officials of my Department are committed to ensuring that these new colleagues gain valuable experience that they can take forward with them in their future careers.
For any officers who are seeking to join the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the wider civil service on a permanent basis they must, as per civil service recruitment policy, join through an open competition. Publicjobs is the main provider of recruitment services to the Department and to the wider civil service. Any open competitions that arise will be advertised through the Publicjobs website and, for competitions specific to my Department, on the Department's website and social media channels.
