Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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360. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the measures his Department is taking to encourage civil servants in his Department to take or avail of special leave or career breaks, or other forms of leave to encourage and facilitate Ireland's 2026 EU presidency, the Government "Career for EU" jobs strategy, and the Department's Gaeilge/Irish-language policy and promotion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3954/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is supporting the whole of Government approach, led by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), to planning for Ireland’s Presidency of the EU in 2026.

The Department supported the negotiations and agreement with the Commission last year on Ireland’s Action Plan on Geographical Balance to encourage more entrants at entry grades and increase the number of candidates from under-represented States. The actions in Ireland’s plan will be carried out by DFAT as part of the implementation of their EU Careers Strategy, A Career for EU.

The Deputy may wish to be aware that an EU Network was established in the Department last year promote a greater understanding of the growing EU footprint and highlight the Department’s work in these areas. The opportunities for staff in the EU Institutions and the OECD has been raised in this context.

The Department will also continue to circulate all opportunities advertised to staff for EU and other relevant postings. This will ensure that all staff have the opportunity to apply for such postings, thereby encouraging and facilitating Ireland's 2026 EU presidency, the Career for EU jobs strategy and Irish-language policy and promotion.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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361. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of requests to his Department that were granted for various matters (details supplied); the number of such requests that have been refused; and the grounds on which they have were refused. [2499/25]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The policy in my Department, is to release staff on secondment to work in the EU institutions to facilitate Ireland’s 2026 EU Presidency. We do not regard this as special leave or career break and we have not refused any requests in this regard in 2024. 1 officer requested and was granted a career break to support their partner in taking up a post in the EU.

My department actively encourages staff to apply for posts in the EU and in 2024, 3 officers joined the EU Affairs and Presidency Planning Unit in my Department. Also in 2024, 2 officers were seconded to the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels and 2 officers were seconded to the Permanent Mission of Ireland to The United Nations, Geneva.

In 2024, my Department ran two internal competitions at Assistant Principal and Higher Executive Officer/Administrative Officer grade to increase the Departments presence in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the EU in Brussels (PRB) in the lead up to the 2026 presidency where two panels were established at the respective grades. 4 senior positions have already been filled with the deployment of 4 Assistant Principal Officers on the 27th of Jan. The remaining panellists (3 Assistant Principals, 1 Higher Executive Officer & 2 Administrative Officers) are to be assigned to their new posts in the PRB in the Summer of 2025.

In regards to the Government "Career for EU" jobs strategy and in line with the strategies aim to increase the number of Irish officials in both permanent and temporary positions within the EU Institutions, my Department have ensured that all departmental staff are made aware of the career opportunities available to them via the Seconded National Experts (SNE) vacancies, where these vacancies closely align with the strategic relevance of my departments remit. In 2024, 1 officer in my department was seconded to an SNE post in the EU Commission.