Departmental Staff Redeployment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2013

Tuesday, 2 July 2013

Questions (434)

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

434. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in view of the publication of the European Commission’s Winter 2012 Review of Ireland’s Economic Adjustment Programme in April 2013, her views on its recommendation to double the number of case managers from approximately 300 at the end of 2012 to 600 in 2013 and further increase it in 2014 entirely through redeployment of existing staff; if she will outline the progress she has made in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31489/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The implementation of a more intensive and rigorous case management requires that additional resources be devoted to the activation process. However, the implementation of the new Intreo process and the integration of previously separate functions in FÁS, the Community Welfare Service (CWS) and the Department of Social Protection also generates efficiencies and will enable staff to be freed up for redeployment to activation/case management duties. A target to redeploy three hundred staff in the current year has been set and the Department is currently in the process of planning this redeployment. I expect that the redeployment will be completed on target by the year end.