Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of officials by grade in his Department that will be working solely on the Presidency for the remainder of 2012; if redeployment or promotion has occurred; if they will be paid any additional allowances or pay; the way these officials were selected; if the selection procedure gave rise to any complaints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50024/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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While there are a number of officials at different grade levels working on Presidency related business in my Department there is no one who will be working solely on Presidency related work for the remainder of 2012.

An interdivisional group has been established within my Department to co-ordinate preparation for the 2013 Presidency of the Council of Ministers. The group is chaired by the EU/North South Unit and includes those sections that will have a role in the Presidency, as well as the HR Unit. Presidency preparation features on the Management Board agenda each month and is also discussed at the Principal Officer Forum.

My Department is participating in a number of EU and Presidency co-ordination groups which have been established by the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade:

Cabinet Committee on EU Affairs;

Senior Officials Group;

Inderdepartmental Committee on EU Engagement;

Interdepartmental Committee on Co-ordination of the Presidency (IDCCP);

Interdepartmental Administrative Planning Group (IDAPG).

Last May an officer was appointed as a dedicated Department of Public Expenditure and Reform attaché in the Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels, focusing primarily on Cohesion policy. A second representative has been appointed to the Representation for the period to the end of the Presidency. This appointee took up duty there on 15 October 2012 and will focus on Procurement and Staff Regulations. These posts were filled from a panel of officials following internal competition. These postings did not give rise to a promotion. Appropriate allowance and expense payments associated with the posting will be made in accordance to the rules and regulations.

Prioritisation of resource allocation in my Department is conducted on an ongoing basis with reference to the Department’s business needs objectives and the level of expenditure available from which to meet those objectives. In this context, I am satisfied that preparations for the Presidency are well under way.