Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 4

Written Answers - Departmental Staff.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

228 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number, grade and professional-technical description of established positions in his Department; the number of such positions which are currently filled in an acting capacity; the number of such positions which are vacant; the number of such positions which have been vacant for more than one year; the steps which are being taken by his Department to fill these vacant positions; if a Civil Service competition is required; if the existing panel can be utilised; when it is expected to fill these vacant positions; if the inability to maintain a full complement of established positions is delaying the implementation of the national development plan; if the existence of these vacancies has been reported to the committee of the Cabinet charged with overseeing the implementation of the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13045/01]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern)

The Department's current staffing complement is 4,125 core posts and 323 temporary posts and, at any particular time, a number of posts are unfilled due to the normal turnover of staff. These vacancies do not have any implications for the implementation of the national development plan. In addition, at any given time, there would be a number of staff performing duties of a higher grade on an allowance basis to cover lengthy staff absences such as maternity leave and term time leave.

As at 1 May 2001, the overall number of vacancies in the Department was about 158, none of which had been vacant for more than one year. There were some 49 vacancies at the grade of clerical officer, 39 vacancies at the grades of executive officer-staff officer, ten vacancies at higher executive officer level, and six posts vacant in the service grades. There were no vacancies at the higher levels.

In addition, in the Department's IT division there were some 50 vacancies comprising posts in grades as follows: five higher executive officer-systems analyst, 20 executive officer-junior systems analyst, 21 clerical officer-staff officer programmer and four clerical officer-computer operator.

There were also four vacancies in professional grades, comprising one mediator and three medical assessors.

These posts will be filled over the coming months, in some instances from panels set up following competitions conducted by the Office of the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commissioners and in others by way of internal promotions.