Vol. 498 No. 5
111 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if the amount of overtime paid in his Department is above the norm compared to other Departments; the way in which he will reduce the cost of the £6.5 million overtime payment in 1998 in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27946/98]
It is not possible to make a direct comparison of overtime in a Department by Department basis because of the differing staff structures and functions carried out.
In my Department 65 per cent of overtime is accounted for by technical staff mainly employed at export abattoirs. A significant proportion of this overtime is recouped from the industry. it is also the case that the seasonal nature of many of the schemes which provide direct payments to farmers create a demand for overtime. While much of the Department's overtime is not discretionary, arising from necessary early morning-late evening attendance at meat export plants, ports, etc., the situation is constantly monitored to ensure the most efficient use of resources. Special emphasis is placed on ensuring that overtime is necessary and that it provides an enhanced level of service.
