Vol. 530 No. 4
4 Mrs. Owen asked the Taoiseach the number of staff from his Department who are on secondment or loan to other Departments, agencies or bodies; the duration of such arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2100/01]
There are currently 26 staff from my Department on secondment or loan to other Departments, agencies and bodies. I am circulating a table with the Official Report to the Deputies giving details of these staff.
The length of time staff are seconded for varies. The average length of time for those currently on secondment is approximately three years.
|
Department/Body/Agency |
Number/Grade |
Date of secondment |
|
Information Society Commission |
1 (AP) |
7/8/97 |
|
Information Society Commission |
1 (AP) |
30/11/98 |
|
Information Society Commission |
1 (HEO) |
2/6/98 |
|
Information Society Commission |
1 (SO) |
12/1/98 |
|
Information Society Commission |
1 (CO) |
24/10/00 |
|
Tourism, Sport & Recreation (Drugs Strategy Team) |
1 (PO) |
11/7/97 |
|
Tourism, Sport & Recreation (Drugs Strategy Team) |
1 (AO) |
30/6/98 |
|
Tourism, Sport & Recreation (ADM – Area Development Mgt) |
1 (CO) |
1/1/96 |
|
Tourism, Sport & Recreation (ADM – Area Development Mgt) |
1 (CO) |
13/8/97 |
|
Áras an Uachtaráin |
1 Sec General |
17/11/97 |
|
Department/Body/Agency |
Number/Grade |
Date of secondment |
|
Áras an Uachtaráin |
1 (PO) |
11/12/98 |
|
Áras an Uachtaráin |
1 (AP) |
28/9/98 |
|
Áras an Uachtaráin |
1 (HEO) |
23/3/98 |
|
Áras an Uachtaráin |
1 (EO) |
29/12/95 |
|
Office of the Attorney General |
1 (PO) |
11/12/00 |
|
Office of the Attorney General |
1 (EO) |
21/12/98 |
|
Campus & Stadium Ireland Executive Services (Magahy & Co.) |
1 (PO) |
2/10/00 |
|
Campus & Stadium Ireland |
1 (HEO) |
15/5/00 |
|
Campus & Stadium Ireland |
1 (SO) |
15/5/00 |
|
AHCPS (Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants) |
1 (PO) |
11/2/87 |
|
RIA (Royal Irish Academy) |
1 (PO) |
20/1/93 |
|
NESF |
1 (PO) |
13/7/93 |
|
Moriarty Tribunal |
1 (CO) |
26/4/00 |
|
MediaLab Europe |
1 (PO) |
3/7/00 |
|
Justice, Equality & Law Reform (Naas Garda Station) |
1 (CO) |
4/9/00 |
|
European Investment Bank |
1 (AP) |
25/2/84 |
It is hard to follow with a supplementary question when I have not seen the list. Will the Taoiseach give a flavour of the distribution of the staff? We are aware that one principal officer has been seconded to the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation to keep the Taoiseach's line of communication open to Campus Ireland. How is the Taoiseach's Department operating without the 26 staff?
About six have gone to the Information Society Commission, four have gone to the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation to deal with area development, which was transferred to that Department some years ago, five have gone to Áras an Uachtaráin, two to the Office of the Attorney General, three to Campus Ireland, one to the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants, one to the Royal Irish Academy, some to the tribunals, one to Media Lab Europe, one to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and one to the European Investment Bank. If that is not 26, it is near enough.
That is a wide range of staff. How does the Taoiseach's Department operate without so many staff? Have the vacancies been filled? Why can the other Departments not fill those jobs? What is the purpose of sending so many staff to these different agencies? It is interesting that three have gone to Campus Ireland. I thought only one had gone. There are now three there to keep an eye on things for the Taoiseach.
It was three yesterday and it is still three today. It has not been extended.
Four have gone to the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation. Why?
Unfortunately the Deputy did not listen to my reply. They have gone to the ADM company which was previously in the Department of the Taoiseach before being moved to the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation. The same applies to the Information Society Commission. When it was set up some years ago it moved to Dublin Castle so the staff in the Department moved with it.
What is that, a propaganda section?
Deputy Bruton set it up so obviously it was not too good at propaganda. A number of staff have been with Áras an Uachtaráin down through the years. Only three of the 26 would fall outside the normal movement of staff. Deputy Owen should remember from her term at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform that people often move from a Department as a result of promotion but would hold onto their existing Department. Not many did that in my case but people would often stay with their line Department. It often happens when people move with a Minister or Minister of State.
