Departmental Staff Redeployment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2012

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Questions (147)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

147. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach the number of staff members from his Department that have been temporarily and or permanently redeployed to other Government Departments or agencies since 27 March 2009; the details of the grades and pay scales involved; the total amount of savings achieved in salary payments in respect of the persons concerned; the duration of assignments; the business reasons supporting the redeployment of staff; the details of sanction received from the Department of Finance and or Public Expenditure and Reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47235/12]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

In 2009, three posts in my Department engaged in the work of the Information Society Commission which now comes within the remit of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources were redeployed to that Department. The posts involved were one Principal Officer, one Assistant Principal Officer, and one Higher Executive Officer. As some functions regarding the Information Society Commission were transferred to the Department of Finance at that time also, one Administrative Officer redeployed from my Department to the Department of Finance. The total salary savings for my Department arising from the transfer of Information Society Commission functions was €322,936.

Arising from the commitment in the Programme for Government, sections and posts in my Department which had been engaged in work that now comes within the responsibility of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform transferred to that Department in 2011, along with some support staff. The total number of staff that transferred was 27.

The grades of the staff that were redeployed were: one Assistant Secretary; five Principal Officers; six Assistant Principal Officers; four Administrative Officers; one Higher Executive Officer; two Executive Officers; three Staff Officers; and five Clerical Officers. The salary saving arising for my Department was €1,639,543.

Details of staff temporarily seconded from my Department since 27 March 2009 are set out in the table beneath:

Grade of Officer Seconded	Organisation Seconded To	Purpose of Secondment	Duration of Secondment
Principal Officer	Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht	To work on the Commemorations Programme	to July 2013
Assistant Principal Officer	CSO	To work on the census	to end 2012
Assistant Principal Officer	State Laboratory	To work as Head of Corporate Services	to April 2015
Assistant Principal Officer	Public Appointments Service	To work in IT area	to September 2015
Executive Officer	CSO	To work on the census	From October 2010 to October 2012

The annual salary savings in relation to these temporary secondments is €384,819.

All staff redeployed or seconded from my Department were paid as per the salary scales prescribed in Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 28/2009, copies of which are available on that Department's website, www.per.gov.ie.