Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 4

Written Answers - Departmental Staff.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

243 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the number, grade and professional-technical description of established positions in her 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 are vacant for more than one year; the steps which are being taken by her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [13046/01]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

There are 364 established posts in the administrative, executive and clerical grades, such as assistant secretary, principal officer, assistant principal officer, executive and higher executive officer and clerical officer in my Department.

There are 253 established posts in professional and technical grades such as architects, archaeologists, archivists, engineers, wildlife inspectors, horticulturists, curatorial staff, scientific officers, ecologists, botanists, photographers, engineering technicians, architectural assistants, conservation rangers and others.

There are 34 established posts in the service and attendant grades, such as service officers, science and arts attendants and cleaners

The following is a breakdown of the posts that are vacant, vacant for longer than one year and filled in an acting capacity:

Posts Vacant	Posts Vacant1 year +	Posts filled in anacting capacity
26	None	33

All established positions are filled from competitions held by the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission either by assignment from existing panels or by competitions specially held to fill the position. Assignments are expected in the near future to fill 16 of these posts and my Department is making arrangements to fill the remaining vacancies.

It is always difficult to say when vacancies will be filled and in the current climate of near full employment it is even more difficult. However, the Deputy may rest assured that every effort is being made by officials in my Department and the Office of the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission to expedite the filling of all vacancies.

The existence of this small number of vacancies has not been reported to the Cabinet sub-committee charged with overseeing the implementation of the national development plan and I do not feel that the temporary existence of such a small number of vacancies in my Department has any significant impact on the implementation of the plan or on the ability of my Department to carry out its brief.