Written answers

Thursday, 17 July 2014

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Departmental Staff Rehiring

Photo of Seán Ó FearghaílSeán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of retired public servants who have been awarded temporary or term-time posts in his Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. [32331/14]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Details of retired Civil and Public Servants who were employed on short-term contracts during the period in question are set out in the following table:

2011

GRADEPOSITION HELDDURATION
1 Assistant SecretaryChair of the Point 7 Constituency of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria3-year contract for a maximum of 175 days from 31 December 2010
1 Assistant Secretary To assist in the preparation of files for the National ArchivesContract for a maximum of 10 weeks spread over the twelve months of 2011
1 Assistant SecretaryHead of Task Force in connection with Ireland’s Chairmanship of the OSCE, 2012Contract from 7 January 2011 to 31 December 2012
1 CounsellorRelating to Ireland’s Chairmanship of the OSCE, 2012Contract from 4 March 2011 to 22 December 2011
2012
GRADEPOSITION HELDDURATION
1 Deputy SecretaryTánaiste’s Special Representative in connection with Ireland’s Chairmanship of the OSCE, 2012Contract for a maximum of 30 weeks spread over the twelve months of 2012
1 Assistant SecretaryPassport Appeals Officer3-year contract from 20 January 2012 to deal with appeals as and when they arise
1 Assistant Secretary To assist in the preparation of files for the National ArchivesContract for a maximum of 10 weeks spread over the twelve months of 2012
1 CounsellorTo assist in preparations for the Irish Presidency of the European Union in January – June 2013Contract from 1 May 2012 to 30 June 2013
1 AccountantTo provide technical support for the Finance Unit of Irish Aid2-month contract from February to March 2012
1 First SecretaryEmbassy Canberra (temporarily filling vacant post)Contract from December 2012 to March 2013
1 Temporary Clerical OfficerEU Presidency PositionContract from 17 September 2012 to 8 February 2013
2013
GRADEPOSITION HELDDURATION
1 Assistant Secretary To assist in the preparation of files for the National ArchivesContract for a maximum of 10 weeks spread over the twelve months of 2013
1 Development SpecialistTo identify and develop five case studies from the Irish Aid programme, in cooperation with Dublin City Council, for World Alliance of Cities against Poverty (WACAP)Contract from 1 February 2013 to 28 February 2013
1 Temporary Clerical OfficerEU Presidency PositionContract from 7 January to 12 July 2013
2014
GRADEPOSITION HELDDURATION
1 Assistant SecretaryTo assist in the preparation of files for the National ArchivesContract from a maximum of 10 weeks spread over the twelve months of 2014
1 CounsellorPassport Appeals Officer3-year contract from 4 April 2014 to deal with appeals as and when they arise
The policy of my Department regarding the re-engagement of retired officials is to do so to the minimum extent possible. However, for certain once-off or short-duration projects, it is more productive and cost-effective to re-engage retired staff who already have the relevant expertise and experience than to go through a time-consuming and relatively expensive recruitment, induction and training process. Where it occurs, retired staff are usually re-engaged on a pension abatement basis, which means in effect that they continue to receive their pensions and are paid correspondingly reduced salaries by the Department.

My Department’s Development Cooperation Division also occasionally engages a small number of retired staff for short duration specialist consultancy projects connected with the activities of Irish Aid.

The temporary Clerical Officers were recruited through an open competition organised by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). It is not possible in the time scale to identify if other retired officials were re-hired as temporary Clerical Officers during the period in question. However, under the provision of the Public Service Pensions (Single Schemes & Other Provisions) Act 2012, new employees are required to declare if they are in receipt of, or entitled to, a pension from previous service in the public sector.

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