Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
233. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding any mechanism in place within her Department that allows for civil servants to transfer on secondment to an equivalent role within the European Union, without negatively impacting their pension and other employment rights; her views on the merits of such a scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34423/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSecondment arrangements for civil servants are subject to the principles outlined in the Civil Service Secondments Policy and ‘Circular 27/2021: Secondment Policy for the Civil Service’. Moreover, in 2022, the Department of Foreign Affairs adopted a ‘Secondments Policy’ which maintains the Department’s commitment to supporting strategically targeted secondments and other temporary reassignment opportunities outside the Department. The Policy recognises the value these opportunities offer to build the Department’s capacity to deliver its objectives.
These secondments include secondment arrangements to EU institutions as Seconded National Experts (SNEs). Seconded National Experts (SNEs) provide EU institutions with specialised expertise from Member States' administrations, while fostering knowledge exchange with national authorities. SNEs must come from Government Departments or public sector bodies. These Secondments are typically two years in duration, but may be extended for up to four years.
Officers availing of these secondments continue to be treated as a staff member of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the purposes of internal competitions, pay and progression (including progression to higher scales), incremental credit (subject to satisfactory performance), reckonable service, and will also continue to be a member of the relevant pension scheme and pay all contributions on the basis of this membership at their substantive grade.
In addition to secondment arrangements, officers in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have also availed of special leave to work at EU institutions. These officers avail of special leave under the terms and conditions outlined in ‘Circular 33/1991: Special leave without pay to take up an appointment with institution of the European Communities or other international organisation of which Ireland is a member’.
