Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the date of the last open competition for recruitment into his Department; the arrangements being made for recruitment to Irish Aid; and the position in relation to future recruitment into his Department. [25241/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I presume that the main part of the Deputy's question relates to recruitment to the diplomatic service. Third Secretary is the recruitment grade for the service, and is the first step towards more senior posts in the Department. Competitions for Third Secretary posts are conducted on the Department's behalf by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The minimum educational requirement is a first or second class honours degree in any faculty. Candidates are also expected to demonstrate a wide range of skills and qualities in the course of the selection process. Detailed information about the Third Secretary competition is available on the PAS website www.publicjobs.ie . The last Third Secretary competition was advertised in January, 2005. I anticipate that the next competition will be launched in the latter part of this year.

The Deputy also asked about recruitment to posts in Irish Aid. There are currently no firm plans to recruit new specialists to the Department's Irish Aid Directorate, which is moving to Limerick as part of the Government's decentralisation programme. Discussions are on-going with representatives of the specialists, with their union IMPACT and with the Department of Finance about the conditions of service that will be applicable to specialists transferring with the Directorate to Limerick, and to those that choose to remain in Dublin. These are issues which, of course, also have a wider Civil Service dimension.

The Department of Foreign Affairs from time-to-time also recruits by open competition to fill some or all vacancies arising in a number of other grades. These include: Accountant/Auditor; Architectural Assistant; Assistant Legal Adviser; Deputy Legal Adviser; Legal Adviser; Clerical Officer; Clerical Officer (temporary); Executive Officer; Librarian; Night Watch Person; Services Officer; Cleaner; Stagiaire; Translator and various ancillary grades at Irish diplomatic, consular and aid missions. With the exception of posts attached to Irish missions, most of the competitions are conducted on the Department's behalf by the Public Appointments Service. If the Deputy would like to specify any areas in which he is particularly interested, I would be happy to provide him with further information.