Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 3 Nov 1988

Vol. 383 No. 7

Written Answers. - Civil Service Numbers.

48.

Mr. Desmond

asked the Minister for Finance the total authorised establishment and total actual numbers of civil servants serving in the Civil Service in each of the general Civil Service grades, from clerical assistant to secretary, on 1 September for each of the years 1985 to 1988 inclusive or on the nearest date for which such information is available; and the total numbers of all civil servants authorised and serving on those dates.

Minister for Finance (Mr. MacSharry)

The information sought by the Deputy in respect of numbers serving, on the dates closest to those requested by him for which they are available, is set out in the table below. The earlier figures are based on returns made by Departments to my Department and the current ones on the staff information system, respect of officers actually serving. Authorised establishments have not been systematically recorded centrally, and these figures are not therefore available on the basis sought.

Numbers Serving	1-1-86	1-1-87	1-1-88	1-9-88
Secretary	27	27	28	28
Deputy Secretary	8	8	7	6
Assistant Secretary	95	97	90	83
Principal	326	335	315	278
Assistant Principal	762	785	727	714
Administrative Officer	95	80	74	58
Higher Executive Officer	1,247	1,270	1,270	1,173
Executive Officer	1,856	1,792	1,847	1,743
Staff Officer	800	865	869	824
Clerical Officer	2,932	2,999	3,008	2,926
Clerical Assistant	7,342	7,206	7,220	6,943
Totals in specified grades	15,489	15,464	15,455	14,776
Total in Civil Service	30,537	30,469	29,981	28,681

49.

Mr. Desmond

asked the Minister for Finance the total authorised establishment and total actual numbers of civil servants serving in his Department in each of the general Civil Service grades from clerical assistant to secretary on 1 September for each of the years 1985 to 1988 inclusive or on the latest date for which such information is available; and the total number taking all categories together, of civil servants authorised and serving in his Department on those dates.

Minister for Finance (Mr. MacSharry)

The total actual numbers serving in my Department and in the offices under my aegis are set out in the attached table.

The concept of authorised establishment is a theoretical one which has had different interpretations over the period, and it would not therefore be meaningful to give figures for it.

Figures as at 1 September of each Year

Grade	D/Finance	Office of Public Works	Civil Service Commission	Revenue Commissioners	Valuation & Ordnance Survey	State Laboratory	Ombudsman's Office
	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988
Secretary	2	2	3	3	1	1	1	1	1	1	—	—
Deputy Secretary	2	2	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Assistant Secretary	15	13	12	12	4	4	3	2					11	9	9	7
Principal	52	52	47	44	11	11	11	7	3	3	2	1	33	34	32	26	1	1	1	—
Assistant Principal	125	134	133	113	30	30	28	25	8	7	3	1	78	79	82	77	1	—	2	2
Higher Executive Officer	87	86	84	74	55	52	51	52	14	14	5	2	161	157	158	156	3	3	2	3	1	4	1	1	2	2	2	2
Administrative Officer	65	60	55	40	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	4	4	2	1	—	—	—	—
Executive Officer	52	48	49	47	89	81	71	76	12	12	4	3	281	272	272	244	3	3	3	3					4	4	4	3
Staff Officer	22	23	26	20	18	19	17	16	13	14	4	3	72	69	69	70	4	5	4	4
Clerical Officer	85	80	89	80	52	51	47	54	24	25	4	4	343	330	338	339	22	19	17	18				1	3	3	4	4
Clerical Assistant	161	150	141	118	159	144	136	128	54	55	12	10	683	668	637	609	39	37	34	33	4	4	3	3	8	8	6	6

Total numbers, taking all categories together, serving in my Department and in the offices under my aegis:

	D/Finance	Office of Public Works	Civil Service Commission	Revenue Commissioners	Valuation and Ordnance Survey	State Laboratory	Ombudsman's Office
	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988	1985	1986	1987	1988
	835	730	710	615	1,114	1,026	1,043	968	142	143	38	27	6,634	6,567	6,533	6,328	539	522	520	484	64	63	60	58	40	40	33	28