Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
874. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding any mechanism in place within his 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; his views on the merits of such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34415/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department supports the Government initiatives to increase Irish representation in the European Union's institutions and agencies to ensure Ireland maintains its influence within the EU’s institutions for years to come.
From time to time, my Department considers assigning staff to Seconded National Expert (SNE) positions. EU institutions and agencies recruit SNEs whenever they need staff with the unique skills that SNEs offer: technical, security, legal, financial expertise, among many others. Secondments are typically one to four years in duration.
In selecting SNE posts, my Department must strike a balance between filling these posts and the need to retain key expertise within the Department for ongoing responsibilities. The roles of any SNEs that are approved to be filled are linked to priorities, such as the Common Agriculture Policy, and ensure policy coherence between EU environmental objectives and funding of agriculture and forestry.
My Department also avails of the bi-annual National Experts in Professional Training Scheme (NEPTS) which provides the opportunity to work in the European Commission for limited periods of three to five months. The skills and experiences acquired by Irish officials during their traineeship benefit my Department and facilitate greater understanding of the functioning of European institutions. Participation in this programme is in line with Government’s overall EU engagement strategy.
Officers who avail of these seconded positions remain employed by their parent department for the duration of their postings. Consequently, they retain their employment rights such as pay and pension entitlements, and are not negatively impacted by these arrangements.
