Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The overall figure is 124 posts that are to be scheduled, of which 105 have already been identified. Some 57 officers are already in place in temporary accommodation in Limerick. Of the 105 posts identified, 33 are filled by officers who served in the Department at the time of decentralisation and others have come from other Departments. Regarding the figure rising from 105 to 124 posts, it is anticipated that many development specialists will agree to move to Limerick, as a result of the agreement reached with them and their union, IMPACT.

Regarding the loss of expertise, no other Department is like the Department of Foreign Affairs; almost every senior officer in the Department will, at some stage, perform duties abroad. There is a constant circulation of people and it is normal for them to go abroad for four years. Many of the staff who will go to Limerick will have served abroad on behalf of Irish Aid or the diplomatic section of the Department.

See this speech in context