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Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 May 2011

Tuesday, 3 May 2011

Questions (32)

Timmy Dooley

Question:

54 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff sanctioned by him in 2011 despite the recruitment moratorium; their grade; the organisation they work for and the number of applications that have been refused to date in 2011. [9707/11]

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Written answers

The moratorium on recruitment and promotion, introduced by the Government at the end of March 2009 allows for certain general exemptions in the Education and Health Sectors for the filling of certain key posts as well as for the Local Authorities in relation to certain key posts. Information in relation to the posts covered by these general exemptions may be sought from the relevant Ministers. While Departments have been implementing the moratorium in respect of themselves and the bodies under their aegis, there are occasions where a Department needs to fill a post, in either the case of a civil service post or in relation to a public service post in a body under the aegis of the Department. Such exemptions to the moratorium require the sanction of the Minister for Finance.

Each request for an exception is assessed on a case by case basis. Approval to fill posts is based on the business case made including consideration of, for example:

a. statutory posts which have to be filled for legal reasons;

b. safety related posts where a failure to fill them could leave the state open to potential legal liabilities or for security reasons;

c. in order to ensure the continuity of essential services;

d. where the failure to fill a post could result in a breach of EU/international regulations etc.;

e. some specialist/technical posts are required to ensure continuity of core operations e.g. legal officers; laboratory staff, maritime safety, etc.;

Departments and Offices do have to exhaust other possibilities such as redeployment, the re-assignment of staff or the re-organisation of work before applying for an exception to the moratorium.

In addition, as part of the Employment Control Framework 2011-2014 for the Health Sector, the HSE has discretion to fill a limited number of posts on exceptional grounds to support the development of integrated health care and its transformation programme. However, as part of this facility, posts of equivalent value in non-frontline areas must be suppressed for any exception made.

Details of the individual exemptions sought by each Department in respect of Civil Service and Public Service posts this year are set out in tables 1 and 2, respectively.

Civil Service

Table 1 sets out the details of exceptions to the moratorium which have been sought in respect of the Civil Service.

Since my appointment on March 9 2011, exceptions have been sought to fill 134 posts of which 13 were refused and 9 are still under consideration. Of the 112 approved, however, only some 14 of these posts will in time involve recruitment of extra staff.

In addition sanction has also been given for some 40 temporary posts to the CSO for Census 2011 and there has also been sanction, as is normal, for various temporary "summer relief" type posts.

Public Service

Table 2 sets out the breakdown of exceptions to the moratorium which have been sought in respect of the wider Public Service. My Department has received 6 requests resulting in 20 posts being sanctioned.

Dept/Office Title

Exception Sought1

Grade

No of Exceptions Sought Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment Sought

Decision

Sanction Date

Exceptions Granted Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment

Basis of Sanction

Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

8

Approved

10-Mar-11

8

Ministerial Appointments

Appointment of AP

AP

1

Approved

21-Apr-11

1

15 APs retired in the previous 2 years. Consequential HEO vacancy will not be filled

Attorney General’s Office

Executive Officer

Executive Officer

1

Approved

28/01/2011

1

Business needs of office

Special Advisor

PO

1

Approved

29/03/2011

1

Ministerial Appointment

CO

CO

1

Approved

15/04/2011

1

Long term sick leave case

Chief State Solicitor’s Office

CO

CO

1

Approved

13-Apr-11

1

Business needs of office

Communications, Energy and Natural Resources

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

6

Approved

31-Mar-11

6

Ministerial Appointments

Energy Division PO

PO

1

Higher duty Allowance

01-Jan-11

1

Progress made on achieving numbers reduction targets in the Department

Director of GSI

PO

1

Refused

01-Jan-11

EO

1

Approved

28-Feb-11

1

CO Post Suppressed in lieu

Dept/Office Title

Exception Sought1

Grade

No of Exceptions Sought Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment Sought

Decision

Sanction Date

Exceptions Granted Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment

Basis of Sanction

Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers special advisers

3

Approved

21-Mar-11

3

Ministerial Appointments

Acting up allowance to PO level at Coimisinéir Teanga

AP

1

Approved

01-Mar-11

1

Until September 2011 only

To allow substantive AP grade for 4 HEOs who have been on acting up basis for 3 years

AP

4

Approved

09-Mar-11

4

Duration of acting up period.

Family Support Agency

Appointment of mediators

HEO equivalent

4

Approved

25-Jan-11

4

Statutory function to provide family mediation service — sanction for 1 year. Supports a pilot project to be jointly implemented by the FSA and Legal Aid Board and the Courts Services for the integrated delivery of mediation services

Comptroller and Auditor General

Trainee Auditor

Trainee Auditor

1

Approved

28/04/2011

1

To replace Auditor recently deceased, during busiest period for auditing.

Defence

Prof. Accountant Grade I (Tempoary)

Prof. Accountant Grade I

1

Approved

24-Mar-11

1

Business critical case

Director of Public Prosecutions

Legal Researcher (temp.)

Legal Researcher (temp.)

1

Approved

13-Apr-11

1

Business critical case

Dept/Office Title

Exception Sought1

Grade

No of Exceptions Sought Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment Sought

Decision

Sanction Date

Exceptions Granted Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment

Basis of Sanction

Education and Skills

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

2

Approved

07-Apr-11

2

Ministerial Appointments

Director of Operations, State Exams Commission

Director

1

Approved

17-Feb-11

1

Busines criticl case (Junior and Leaving Certs)

SEC

Director (HEAD)

1

Approved

09-Mar-11

1

Busines critical case (Junior and Leaving Certs)

Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

5

Approved

Various 10 March 2011 to 21 March 2011

5

Ministerial Appointments

Met Éireann appointment of Assistant Director

Assistant Director

1

Approved

28-Jan-11

1

Addressing management gap caused by retirements. Consequential vacancy suppressed

Enterprise, Trade and Innovation

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

13

Approved

Various 10 March 2011 to 11 April 2011

13

Ministerial Appointments

Labour Relations Commission

To re-appoint 8 Rights Commissioners

Rights Commissioners

8

Approved

19/7/10 and 26/10/10

8

Re-appointments are necessary for the working of the Labour Relations Commission

Labour Court

To appoint a replacement workers member of Labour Court

Workers member Equivalent to penultimate point of the PO (Higher) scale.

1

Approved

10/11/2010

1

Statutory Post

Filling of 1 AP vacancy by internal promotion

AP

1

Approved

10/11/2010

1

Business critical post.

Employee Appeals Tribunal

Filling of 1 AP vacancy by internal promotion

AP

1

Approved

10/11/2010

1

Business critical post.

Patents Office

Request for temporary Acting Up allowance from EO to HEO

HEO

1

Approved

04/02/2011

1

Business critical post and the office is reorganising to cover additional vacancies.

WAM project — temporary placement

Graduate

1

Approved

15/03/2011

1

Temporary replacement for 6 months- administered by the Association of Higher Education Access Disability (AHEAD)

ODCE

Reappointment of Director

Assistant Secretary

1

Approved

01/10/2010

1

Statutory post. In public interest.

Finance

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

3

Approved

03-May-11

3

Ministerial Appointments

Manager of the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service by interdepartmental competition

AP

1

Approved

23/02/2011

1

Filling of post necessitated by need to make more effective and to centralise the Employee Assistance Service within the Dept of Finance

Foreign Affairs

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

8

Approved

Various 29 March 2011 to 8 April 2011

8

Ministerial Appointments

Health/Children

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

12

Approved

Various 10 March to 18 April 2011

12

Ministerial Appointments

Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

3

Approved

24-Mar-11

3

Ministerial Appointments

Dept/Office Title

Exception Sought1

Grade

No of Exceptions Sought Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment Sought

Decision

Sanction Date

Exceptions Granted Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment

Basis of Sanction

Garda Civilians

Head of HR strategy

PO

1

Not Granted

-

0

Business Critical

Head of Garda Infor Services centre

PO

1

Not Granted

-

0

Business Critical

IT staff 9

Various

9

Part Granted

19-Apr-11

4

Business Critical

Head of legal affairs

PO higher

1

Approved

19-Apr-11

1

Business Critcal

OSCAM

Various

4

Part Granted

19-Apr-11

2

Business Critical

GISC

HEO

3

Approved

19-Apr-11

3

Business Critical

Accident Damage Manager

HEO

1

Not Granted

19-Apr-11

0

Business Critical

Vehicle inspectors

EO

2

Part Granted

19-Apr-11

1

Business Critical

Doctor

Doctor

1

Not Granted

19-Apr-11

0

Business Critical

HR manager

HEO

2

Approved

19-Apr-11

2

Business Critical

Crime analyst

HEO

2

Not Granted

19-Apr-11

0

Business Critical

Property Registration Authority

CEO replacement

Assistant Sec

1

Approved

10-Feb-11

1

Business Critical

Prison Service

Prison Doctor

Doctor

1

Approved

14-Feb-11

1

Prison operational reasons.

OPW

Clerical support in Culture and Built Heritage area

CO

1

Approved

24-Jan-11

1

Part of limited overall sanction for the OPW

Management vacancies

PO

2

Approved

24-Jan-11

2

Part of limited overall sanction for the OPW

Appointment of Minister of State Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers

4

Approved

Various 10 March 2011 to 25 March 2011

4

Ministerial Appointments

Public Expenditure and Reform

Appointment of Ministerial

Personal Secretary, Civilian drivers

3

Approved

20-Apr-11

3

Ministerial Appointments

Appointment of Secretary General

Secretary General

1

Approved

26-Apr-11

1

Government appointment

Social Protection

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary

1

Approved

20-Apr-11

1

Ministerial Appointment

Dept/Office Title

Exception Sought1

Grade

No of Exceptions Sought Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment Sought

Decision

Sanction Date

Exceptions Granted Promotion/ Recruitment Redeployment

Basis of Sanction

Taoiseach

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

9

Under Consideration

Ministerial Appointments

Transport

Appointment of Ministerial Staff

Personal Secretary, Assistant, Civilian drivers, special advisers

14

Approved

Various 10 March 2011 to 26 April 2011

14

Ministerial Appointments

Total

165

141

Table 2 — Requests for Exceptions in the Public Service

Department of Social Protection

No. of requests

Requesting Body

Purpose of Sanction

Grade

No. of posts

Decision

No. of posts granted

Date Sanctioned

Comment

1

Pensions Board

Staff required due to developments in the pensions arena

1 PO4 APs4 HEOs3 EOs

12

Sanction was given for the transfer of 6 posts from the Department of Social Protection’s ECF by end-2012; Sanction was given for 6 posts to be recruited on fixed-term contracts for a period of no more than 3 years.

12 (6 posts to be transferred from DSP and 6 posts to be recruited externally on a three year fixed-term contract)

11 March 2011

1

Citizens Information Board

This was to fill the position made vacant by the resignation of an administrator who was acting up into an ICT project management role until 31 March 2011

Grade 4 ICT Administrator Post

1

1

31 March 2011

To fill a Grade 7 (HEO) ICT vacancy for the duration of 11 months until November 2011

Grade 7 (HEO) ICT area

1

1

2 March 2011

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

No. of requests

Requesting Body

Purpose of Sanction

Grade

No. of posts

Decision

No. of posts granted

Date Sanctioned

Comment

1

An Bord Pleanála

To fill Chairperson Post

Equivalent to High Court Judge subject to the provisions of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2009

1

Statutory PostPost advertised stating that pay is being reviewed and may be subject to downward revision prior to appointment

1

14th February 2011

To fill Deputy Chairperson Post

Point 2 of former Assistant Secretary Scale at 12/12/09 minus 8%

1

Post to be filled for one year while re-grading of An Bord Pleanála Board member posts is being examined

1

18th February 2011

Department of Education and Skills

No. of requests

Requesting Body

Purpose of Sanction

Grade

No. of posts

Decision

No. of posts granted

Date Sanctioned

Comment

1

NEWB

1 x director of services1 x director of integration1 regional manager2 x education welfare officer1 x clerical officer post

Various

6

1 EWO post extended by 6 months

1 extension

24 Mar 2011

1 post extended as due to expire 29 March 2011

1

Co. Mayo VEC

Temp extension pending VEC amalgamation

Acting Education Officer

1

Approved until 30 Sept 2011

1

29 Mar 2011

Temporary extension of essential post until VEC rationalisation

1

Teaching Council

Renew contracts of 5 Temp Cos to complete registration of existing and new teachers for 2011/2012 academic year

Clerical Officer

5

Approved until 31 August 2011 only

5

31 Mar 2011

To finalise registration of existing and new teachers in time for September 2011 academic year.

FÁS also received sanction on the 11th of March to recruit 40 temporary clerical officers of 100 sought as cover for staff availing of the Shorter Working Year scheme

Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport

No. of requests

Requesting Body

Purpose of Sanction

Grade

No. of posts

Decision

No. of posts granted

Date Sanctioned

Comment

1

Irish Film Board

To enable CEO post to be filled

Principal Officer, Higher Scale

1

Grant

1

4 February 2011

1

National Gallery

To enable the post of Director to be filled

Principal Officer, Higher Scale

1

Grant

1

10 January 2011

1

Irish Museum of Modern Art

To enable the post of Director to be filled

Principal Officer, Standard Scale

1

Grant

1

28 April 2011

1

The Arts Council

To enable the post of Director to be filled

Principal Officer, Standard Scale

1

Grant

1

17 February 2011

Fáilte Ireland also requested 80 seasonal Tourist Information Officers (clerical) to staff its Information Offices for the tourist season.

Sanction granted on 20th of April. Shannon Development was also granted 12 Tourist Information Officers on the same basis.

Such sanctions are given on the understanding that the pay can be met from within existing budgetary resources.

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