Vol. 560 No. 1
285 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the nature of recruitment restrictions that have been placed on the Office of Public Works in respect of recruitment during 2003; and if an assessment has been carried out of the impact of these restrictions on the activities of the Office. [1657/03]
The Department of Finance has recently asked the Office of Public Works, in the context of the reassessment of the total public service staff numbers announced in the budget, to critically examine its staffing levels with a view to achieving reductions over a period of three years.
The broad parameters set out are such that they will not give rise to a ban on recruitment. This matter is at present the subject of discussions involving all Departments with the Department of Finance and, pending the conclusion of these discussions, it is not possible at any stage to say what impact, if any, the measures will have on the activities of the office.
