asked the Minister for the Public Service if any new public sector posts have been created in 1982; and, if so, he will give details.
Written Answers. - Public Sector Posts.
454.
New posts have been created in the public sector as follows in 1982: Civil Service, 1,014 (of which 569 were for telecommunications development); Garda Síochána, 259; Education area, 980; Non-commercial State bodies, 266 (of which 212 were for AnCO).
Figures are not readily available for new posts created in the local authorities or commercial State-sponsored bodies.
455.
asked the Minister for the Public Service if the rule in regard to the non-filling of two of every three vacancies in the public sector is being applied without exception; and, if not, if he will give details.
The following is the position in each of the public sector areas—
Non-industrial civil service: The restriction has applied without exception.
Industrial civil service: The restriction has applied except in a small number of cases in the Office of Public Works and in the Defence area (civilian employees).
Garda Síochána: This area is not subject to the restriction.
Defence Forces: This area is not subject to the restriction. A reduction in the average strength from 17,243 on 23 December 1981, which was abnormally high, to 17,142 by the end of 1982 is envisaged.
Education area: This area is not genreally subject to the restriction.
Health area: The restriction does not apply in the health area, but the financial allocations have been settled to provide a "scheme of equivalent effect" to the restriction.
Non-commercial State-sponsored bodies: The restriction has applied in this area but a modified version is in operation in AnCO with two vacancies out of three being filled.
Commercial State-sponsored bodies: This area is specifically excluded from the restriction.
Local authorities: Due to circumstances peculiar to the local authority service, the restriction has not operated in this area.
456.
asked the Minister for the Public Service (a) the number of civil servants each year since 1970; (b) their cost to the Exchequer each year; (c) their cost as a percentage of the amount spent by the State each year; and (d) the estimated cost for 1982-1983.
The following is the information requested by the Deputy:
|
(a) Year |
(b) Number of Civil Servants (1) |
(c) Cost to the Exchequer (2) |
(d) Cost to the Exchequer as Percentage of Current Government Expenditure (3) |
|
£m. |
% |
||
|
1970/71 |
45,989 |
55.5 |
11.3 |
|
1971/72 |
47,689 |
66.5 |
11.6 |
|
1972/73 |
48,650 |
76.0 |
11.5 |
|
1973/74 |
50,437 |
93.5 |
11.7 |
|
1974 (9 months) |
53,790 |
82.5 |
11.1 |
|
1975 |
55,996 |
148.0 |
11.1 |
|
1976 |
57,225 |
178.5 |
10.7 |
|
1977 |
57,443 |
196.0 |
10.1 |
|
1978 |
57,197 |
230.0 |
9.6 |
|
1979 |
60,426 |
286.0 |
9.9 |
|
1980 |
62,619 |
387.0 |
10.5 |
|
1981 (4) |
65,550 |
478.0 |
10.0 |
The estimated cost to the Exchequer of civil servants in 1982 is £560 million or 9.4 per cent of Current Government Expenditure. The estimate of £560 million represents the sum of provisions for civil servants in Departmental Estimates and a provisional allocation to civil servants of the global sum in Vote 51 — Increases in Remuneration and Pensions.
Notes
(1) The figures show the numbers of non-industrial civil servants, industrial staff and non-industrial staff employed on a contract basis (mainly sub-postmasters) in January each year.
(2) Cost to the Exchequer is taken to mean pay costs including overtime, allowances and employer's PRSI contributions where appropriate.
(3) Current Government Expenditure data is taken from table headed "Main Heads of Current Government Expenditure" of the Pre-Budget Tables. From and including 1977 the data reflects the reclassification in 1982 of certain expenditure items as capital — see note on Table 3 of the 1982 pre-budget tables.
(4) Following a special survey, it was found that the numbers serving in mid-1981 were 69,533. It would appear from this figure that in previous years, the returns furnished to the Department of the public service by individual Departments had been incomplete.