Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
238. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to list all allowances and the amounts paid to clerical, executive and higher executive officer grades posted to Embassies abroad. [30084/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn common with other diplomatic 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.
During 2025, total expenditure on Foreign Service Allowances to Clerical Officers, Executive Officers and Higher Executive Officers was €2.1 million.
In line with data protection regulations, I have not provided a further breakdown of this information as I am obliged to ensure that the private circumstances of officers and their families cannot be ascertained.
