FIFTY TEMPORARY clerical officers are to be recruited in the Passport Office as part of a draft deal reached yesterday between the CPSU union and management at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The move is aimed at resolving the row which has contributed to a a backlog of more than 60,000 applications for passports.
A system for providing passports on a priority basis is also to be put in place under the terms of the new agreement, which was brokered at the Labour Relations Commission yesterday following two days of talks.
The 50 new temporary clerical officers to be recruited will assist in dealing with peak summer demand and will tackle the backlog of more than 61,000 applications which has developed in recent months.
The requirement to retain these posts, or a reduced number, for a further period, is to be reviewed by chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission Kieran Mulvey in September.
Up to 35 additional temporary clerical officers will be recruited if necessary under the terms of the deal in order to facilitate staff who have applied for work/life balance leave. It is understood that 12 temporary supervisory posts will also be established under the deal.
The Labour Relations Commission will also carry out a review of the operation of the overall agreement in December, which will include an examination of the ongoing staffing requirements of the Passport Office.
The CPSU said that it would be consulting staff on the draft deal over the coming days.
