Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 130: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his plans for greater efficiencies with our foreign diplomatic corps; the percentage saving his Department is seeking to make in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7073/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In the 2010 Estimates for Public Services and Summary Public Capital Programme, published on 9 December 2009, total savings of over €10m were announced for the Administrative Budget of my Department.

A further €6.2.m in savings will accrue as a result of the reductions in public service pay announced on the same day.

Taken together the reduction of €16.2m represents an 8% cut in the Administrative Budget compared with 2009. The 2009 allocation similarly included a cut in resources of €15m compared with 2008.

The reduced resources affect the budgets of my Department at home and in our missions abroad. In addition to efficiencies at home such as smaller allocations for travel and for office machinery, my Department has reduced the budgets of our missions abroad by about 13.5%. This includes reductions in salaries and allowances, travel, postal and telecommunication services, office machinery and premises expenses.

I have also decided, on a trial basis, to make structural changes with regard to some of our embassies in the European Union. I intend to put in place in a number of capitals a lighter model of representation.

Such missions will be staffed by a single Irish diplomat with appropriate local support and backup from Dublin and other missions in the region. They will be explicitly tasked to prioritise our work on EU affairs and the promotion of our economic interests.