Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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483. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number and grade of all staff in his Department; the number and grade of vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37779/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There were 1,524.9 full time equivalent staff employed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 30 June 2017. These staff are detailed by grade in the following table:

When there is a specific business need, my Department employs temporary short term staff to address those requirements.

Staffing within the Department is subject to a payroll, as opposed to a staffing numbers, ceiling and the Department’s Management Board decide on the allocation of human resources to deliver on the Department’s priorities within that payroll ceiling. Therefore it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a current number and grade of vacancies in the Department. However, I can advise the Deputy that the Department is actively filling roles at most grades in the Department and we are currently working with our colleagues in the Public Appointments Service on two competitions specific to this Department for Third Secretary and Counsellor grades.