Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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348. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of communications staff currently employed in his Department; the cost of these staff for 2022; the expected cost for 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8705/23]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The nature of the core work of the Department of Foreign Affairs is such that almost all staff engage in public-facing communication – be it our diplomats representing Ireland abroad or DFA staff providing essential passport or consular services to Irish citizens. Communication takes place in a variety of ways: through traditional press and media outlets, through external engagements by Ministers and officers of the Department and through the proactive publication of information, policy positions and messages through electronic internet and social media. Values of openness, accountability and transparency provide the guiding principles for this work in order to ensure that the public is fully informed about the efforts being undertaken by the Department to represent Ireland’s interest abroad and respond to the needs of Irish citizens who travel overseas.

A dedicated Communications Unit staffed by civil servants has been in place for a number of years to support the effective communication of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ work to external audiences at home and abroad.

During 2022, twenty four civil servants worked in the Unit. There are currently twenty two staff (22 FTE) working in this unit. When two vacancies at Clerical Officer level are filled it will bring the staffing numbers back to twenty-four staff (24 FTE).

The current composition of staff in the unit is as outlined in the table below with all staff paid in accordance with civil service salary scales and relevant public service pay agreements.