John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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397. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the rent allowances available to public servants and his departmental officials who are posted overseas, by country, for each of the years 2005 to 2015 in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3247/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs provides officers who serve the State abroad with a rent allowance to enable them to rent suitable accommodation at post if required. The rent allowance is only provided to officers who are not eligible to reside in State-provided accommodation. The Department uses an independent advisory service to advise on appropriate rent levels in the locations in which it is based around the world. The primary criteria in assessing rent allowances is the size of the officer’s family (i.e. whether the officer’s spouse or civil partner is accompanying them on post and whether some or all of an officer’s children are accompanying). Other possible considerations would include security requirements (in locations where additional security protection is needed), proximity to schools and the Mission, as well as health and safety issues. Assessments are also made as to the representational/promotional work associated with particular posts and if the property is likely to be frequently used for promotional work.

Officers receiving a rent allowance remain personally responsible for all payments in respect of beneficial services such as heating, water, lighting, gas, telephone, TV, refuse collection, maintenance of central heating etc. in the same manner as would apply when they are stationed in Ireland.

Rent allowances are fixed for the duration of an officer’s assignment abroad apart from provisions provided for in leases for mandatory cost of living index increases.

The following table details the total Vote 28 rental allowance outlay for the period 2005-15 in the locations abroad where our Missions are located.

Expenditure under A1-RENT subhead for 2005-2015 in respect of D/FAT staff serving abroad

NOTES

This table provides a summary of the expenditure incurred for each mission over the 2005-2015 period. In the time available to answer the question, it was not possible to provide a more detailed breakdown.

The costs by mission may vary considerably depending on the number of officers requiring accommodation at post in any given year.

While all costs relate to the provision of accommodation for staff abroad, a small proportion of expenditure is attributed to cost centres at Headquarters for accounting purposes.