Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 18 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 1

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

Ivor Callely

Question:

242 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice the number of permanent staff in her Department and each State agency under the aegis of her Department; the number of temporary staff; the number of staff on contract; and if Government staffing-embargo guidelines are adhered to in her Department and each State agency in this regard. [4524/97]

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

The details, as at 31 December 1996, sought by the Deputy are contained in the following tabular statement.

The Government's staffing-embargo guidelines are adhered to in relation to the employment of all permanent, temporary and contract staff in the Department of Justice and its agencies.

Staffing — 31 December, 1996

Area	No. of permanent staff	No. of temporary staff	No. of contract staff	Total
Department of Justice	474(a)	8	17	499
Probation and Welfare Service	239	84(b)	Nil	323
Land Registry	511	Nil	Nil	511
Supreme and High Courts	208	Nil	8	216
Circuit and District Courts	595	1	1	597
General Solicitor's Office	11	Nil	1	12
Garda Síochána
Gardaí	10,829	Nil	Nil	10,829
Clerical-administrative	727	Nil	Nil	727
Other Civilian Staff (mainly Traffic Wardens and Cleaners)	320	681(c)	13	1,014
Prison Service	2,448	14	13	2,475
Garda Síochána Complaints Board	16	Nil	Nil	16
Office of the Data Protection Commissioner	8	Nil	Nil	8
Office of Charitable Donations and Bequests	8	Nil	Nil	8
Office of the State Pathologist(d)	Nil	2	1	3

(a) This figure includes 48 officers employed in the forensic science laboratory.

(b) Eighty-three of the temporary staff employed in the probation and welfare service are employed through FÁS as sessional supervisors for the community service order scheme.

(c) This figure includes part-time cleaners in Garda Stations, the majority of whom work less than four hours per week.

(d) The Office of the State Pathologist has been included. However, full responsibility for this office did not pass to the Department of Justice until 1 January 1997.