Vol. 515 No. 1
6 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if his attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by the Chief State Solicitor at the meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts on 3 February, 2000 regarding the difficulty in retaining staff in his office due to the higher levels of pay available in the private sector; the steps, if any, being taken to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4140/00]
7 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Taoiseach if he will clarify the pay levels for solicitors employed at the office of the Chief State Solicitor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4501/00]
8 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the concerns expressed by the Chief State Solicitor at the meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts on 3 February, 2000 regarding the difficulty in retaining staff in his office; and the steps, if any, taken to deal with this problem. [4945/00]
9 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if he has received any representations or correspondence from staff of the Chief State Solicitor's office regarding his replies to parliamentary questions on 8 February, 2000 on staffing levels in the office; if so, whether there is a need to clarify any of the information given in those replies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5090/00]
10 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the total number of assistant solicitors at the Chief State Solicitor's office in a recruitment grade; the number of these who have more than two and a half years experience; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5091/00]
11 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the salary scale for assistant solicitors in the Chief State Solicitor's office, including recruitment grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5092/00]
12 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach when the recommendations of the report (details supplied) that there should be parity for the top five grades in the Chief State Solicitor's office with the DPP's office and automatic progression for assistant solicitors to the next grade after three years will be implemented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5093/00]
13 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the number of promotional vacancies for solicitors likely to arise as a result of retirements in the Chief State Solicitor's office over the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5094/00]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 6 to 13, inclusive, together.
I am very much aware of the difficulties being experienced by the Chief State Solicitor's office at the moment, especially in recruiting and retaining staff, and the efforts being made to address those difficulties. I refer to my previous replies on this issue on 7 December, 1999 and 8 February last. Problems of recruiting and retaining staff are affecting many areas of the Civil Service and are more or less an inevitable consequence of the present economic boom.
The two major factors affecting recruitment and retention of professional and technical staff are the comparatively low starting salaries and a perception that career prospects are not good. Many of the professional and technical staff recruited to permanent posts would already have some years experience in private firms. Others would have worked in the Chief State Solicitor's office on a contract basis. The current situation is that staff in the recruitment grades have been advanced to the next grade within a comparatively short period. This is unlikely to continue into the medium term given the age profile in the office.
In my replies to supplementary questions on 8 February last I inadvertently referred to a salary scale of £31,000 to £39,000, which is the scale for Senior Assistant Solicitor, rather than that of the recruitment grade. The recruitment grade, Assistant Solicitor, scale ranges from £16,072 to £28,411. The actual starting point depends on qualifications and experience at date of entry. Most solicitors start above the minimum. A reference to a salary scale for clerical staff, intended to refer to the grade of law clerk, may have been misinterpreted as referring to general service clerical grades. For complete clarity I am circulating a copy of the salary scales for the relevant grades in the Official Report. I have received representations and am aware that the reference to the wrong scale caused some unease among the staff in the CSSO and I am now addressing this.
The House will be aware of the recent industrial action in the CSSO. The action has now been suspended. Discussions are taking place between IMPACT and the Law Offices with the Department of Finance about the staffing, grade structures and starting salary arrangements for both the prosecution service and the CSSO. I hope these negotiations will result in agreed measures to address the current problems. I understand that there is progress in the discussions.
I also referred to my previous replies indicating that steps have been taken to tackle the difficulties faced by the CSSO at the moment, such as the creation of additional posts, both in professional and technical promotion grades, and the proposal to establish a State claims agency that would reduce the burden on the CSSO by reducing the volume of litigation. The more general developmental and modernisation issues within the office have been addressed through measures to achieve the objectives in the office statement of strategy as required under the Public Services Management Act, 1997, and the consequential business planning process.
There are currently 25 assistant solicitors in the CSSO; none has more than two years and eight months' permanent service in the office. In addition there are 22 solicitors employed on short-term contracts. Two vacancies will arise as a result of retirements over the next three years. One of these, the position of Chief State Solicitor, is being filled by an open competition which is under way at the moment. The second will arise at Assistant State Solicitor level and will be filled by a process involving the top level appointments committee. There may be consequential vacancies arising from these retirements.
