Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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104. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of employees in his Department; the number professionally qualified with organisations (details supplied); the number with other relevant professional qualifications; and the number with no professional qualifications, in tabular form. [1889/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The total number of full time equivalent staff in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is 1,763 including local staff engaged in diplomatic and consular missions abroad.

My Department employs staff with a range of qualifications both generalist and specialist including inter aliadevelopment specialists, architects, project managers, accountants, economists, HR specialists, ICT specialists and legal advisers. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the central provider of recruitment services to this Department and to the wider Civil Service.

The Department does not track the precise distribution of qualifications from professional bodies held by staff at any one time. However the importance of professional qualifications, particularly in specialised areas is recognised. The Department currently employs six accountants at headquarters who are qualified with either CIMA, ICPA, ACCA or Chartered Accountants Ireland for example.

The Department continually monitors its workforce planning requirements to inform plans for recruitment of new officers, both generalist and specialist, in Ireland and abroad to deliver against high-level goals, including in the context of the “Global Ireland” ambitions. Staff who wish to continue their professional development are supported as a way of contributing to excellence, innovation and career development.

Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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105. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of employees in his Department authorised to engage in procurement; the number professionally qualified with organisations (details supplied); the number with other relevant professional qualifications; and the number with no professional qualifications, in tabular form. [1906/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Procurement Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for the management, coordination and implementation of procurement processes, and procures services, goods and works on behalf of the Department. It oversees the implementation of procurement rules and procedures in accordance with national and European procurement regulations. The section engages with Departmental budget holders to develop their tenders, advises on procurement routes to market and assists with appropriate pre-market engagement when required. It provides procurement logistic support and advice to the Evaluation Committee.

The Procurement Unit has five staff, three of whom have obtained a relevant professional qualification.

In addition, the Department employs six accountants, all of whom are professionally qualified.