Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

No. 878B is correspondence from Mr. Joe Hackett, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, dated 8 November 2021 in which he provides information requested by the committee on the appointment of special envoys. The Secretary General states that in September the Minister for Foreign Affairs requested that the Department undertake a review of the role and appointment of special envoys, and make specific recommendations on how future appointments will take place through a competitive process. The terms of reference are included. The Secretary General states that the report arising from the review will go before Government at the next available opportunity and that the Minister’s intention is to publish the report following its consideration by Government.

Regarding expenditure in the Department’s accounts relating to special envoys, almost €70,000 was spent on travel and subsistence in 2020. The Secretary General clarifies that no remuneration was paid to special envoys in 2020. However, in recognition of their work as special envoys he states that it was decided to pay each of the six retired special envoys an ex gratiapayment of €5,000 per year for each of the two years of their work on the campaign. While the Secretary General states that one of the special envoys waived this ex gratiapayment, it was paid to the other five retried staff in January 2021, totalling €50,000, which was €10,000 each. Special envoys who were then serving staff of the Department, the then Minister and the then Deputy did not receive any remuneration for their roles as special envoys.

It is proposed note and publish the item and request a copy of the report once it is published, as well as the basis for the ex gratiapayments to special envoys. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Deputy Carthy has flagged this item for discussion.