Civil servants to receive €1,350 for duties abroad during EU presidency

Almost 60 mid-ranking staff in the Civil Service are to receive a special payment of €1,350 for duties carried out abroad during Ireland’s EU presidency last year.

The award for personnel who had to travel abroad for seven or more days during the presidency comes on foot of a decision by the Civil Service Adjudicator.

Claim
Originally, the Public Service Executive Union (PSEU), which represents mid-ranking civil servants, had sought a payment of €1,620.

The Government agreed in the talks that led to the Haddington Road deal on public service pay and productivity last year that unions could pursue a claim for additional payments for working abroad during the EU presidency. Last December, following an earlier adjudication, about 200 senior civil servants who had to travel abroad for seven or more days were awarded payments of €2,250 to €3,750 each for "exceptional extra attendance" during the EU presidency.

Adjudication

At the time, the PSEU rejected proposals put forward by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for a flat payment of €1,000 for its members who had had to work abroad during the EU presidency. The matter was then referred for adjudication.

The adjudicator recommended that a payment of €1,350 be made. The PSEU has told members an estimated 57 staff will qualify for the payment.