Ireland's global network of diplomatic missions includes Embassies and Consulates as well as missions to multilateral organisations such as the European Union and the United Nations.
Government Departments assign officers abroad in line with their requirements, and these opportunities are not confined to staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
At present, the following numbers of Clerical Officers, Executive Officers and Higher Executive Officers are posted to Irish missions abroad:
|
Grade
|
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
|
Secondees from other Government Departments
|
Total
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Clerical Officer
|
47
|
14
|
61
|
|
Executive Officer
|
26
|
16
|
42
|
|
Higher Executive Officer
|
11
|
16
|
27
|
In common with other foreign services, this Department supports officers who are assigned abroad to serve the State in an official capacity through a system of Foreign Service Allowances (FSA). This is to assist in defraying the additional costs that officers and their families incur in moving and living abroad. These allowances are based on independently sourced data and are reviewed annually.
These Foreign Service Allowances are paid to all civil servants posted to our missions abroad, including Clerical Officers, Executive Officers and Higher Executive Officers, for the duration of their posting to a diplomatic mission. The amounts payable are based on officers’ grades, civil status, family circumstances and location.
The components of the Foreign Service Allowance system are:
Cost of Living Allowance (COLA), which is designed defray costs associated with a higher cost of living at the post abroad.
Local Post Allowance (LPA), which provides a contribution to the additional indirect costs arising from the representational role of officers serving abroad. This allowance is payable at all locations abroad.
Children’s Foreign Allowance (CFA), which contributes towards the additional costs incurred with regard to qualifying children of officers posted abroad.
The various components of FSA can increase, decrease or be removed altogether over the course of an officer’s posting, in accordance with changes in cost of living in the posting location and changes in officer’s family circumstances.
