The number of new staff employed in my Department between 1 July 2013 and 31 December 2013 was 1.8 full time equivalents and the expected annual cost in the first full year of their employment would be €107,000 approximately.
The number of new staff employed to date in 2014 is 7.5 full time equivalents and the expected annual cost will be approximately €286,000 in the first full year. My Department will shortly advertise for a number of posts in the Irish Prison Service and the Forensic Science Laboratory. In addition, as part of a major reform of how immigration controls operate at Dublin Airport my Department will recruit, through the Public Appointments Service, a number of Immigration Control Officers. The final figure for 2014 recruitments and associated costs will only become clear as the recruitments above progress and it may be 2015 before some assignments are made.
In addition to the above a number of staff joined the Department on transfer or through redeployment from other areas of the Civil and Public Service. A further number of temporary clerical officers were employed on short term contracts during 2013 and again in 2014. These are, by definition, short term contracts designed to meet seasonal peaks and facilitate staff who avail of the Shorter Working Year Scheme.
I am advised that it would be premature to predict at this time likely recruitment in 2015 or 2016. I am advised that recruitment continues to be the subject of a moratorium with recruitment only permitted with the sanction of my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform
