Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 40: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of embassies this State has; the location of these embassies; the current number of staff in these embassies and the way staffing levels compare to each of the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010; the budgets provided to each of these embassies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29076/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Ireland has 58 Embassies, 7 multilateral missions and 11 Consulates General and other offices overseas. In addition to their country of primary accreditation, many Ambassadors are also accredited to additional countries on a non-resident basis. The budget of each Mission is considered to be the locally-devolved administrative (day-to-day) budget including local staff salaries but not salaries of diplomatic staff, which are a charge on the Headquarters budget. Likewise, my Department's capital budget is not allocated to missions on an ongoing basis but is managed from Headquarters. Details of the budgets are included in the table below. The budgets of missions that manage significant programmes on behalf of Irish Aid reflect the additional management and oversight required for the effective implementation of those important programmes.

Administrative Budgets for Missions under Vote 28

Administrative budget of Embassies from Vote 29

The staffing information for 2011 requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below in respect of Missions abroad. The figures take account of officers of other Government Departments and offices, whose salaries and other costs are in some cases borne by the parent Department or office. Also included is a small number of staff indirectly engaged through local employment agencies, some on a temporary basis. Comparable figures for each of the previous four years are not immediately available. Programme staff employed locally by Irish development Missions are not included.