My Department is committed to playing its part in delivering a successful Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which began on 1 July. This will continue to be a significant undertaking for Ireland over the remaining months of our Presidency.

My Department has hired nine temporary Presidency Policy Officers to work on matters relating to the EU Presidency in Dublin. In addition, two Graduate Policy Officers were hired locally on temporary contracts to work on Justice and Home Affairs matters in the Permanent Representation of Ireland to the European Union in Brussels.

I am informed that these officers have been hired on fixed term contracts at Point 1 of the Administrative Officer pay scale (currently €41,176 per annum) until the end of Ireland’s Presidency with contract durations ranging from 17 to 50 weeks.  The projected overall costs and duration of contracts for these officers is laid out in the table below.