Departmental Staff Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 September 2014

Tuesday, 23 September 2014

Questions (41, 42, 65)

Seán Fleming

Question:

41. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach the number of new staff employed in his Department since 1 July 2013 up to 31 December 2013; the expected annual costs arising therefrom; the expected number to be employed in 2014; the estimated annual cost arising therefrom; the expected number to be employed in 2015; the estimated annual cost arising therefrom; the expected number to be employed in 2016; the estimated annual cost arising therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35502/14]

Seán Fleming

Question:

42. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Taoiseach the number of staff who retired, left or otherwise departed from their employment from 1 July 2013 to 31 December 2013; the expected annual savings arising therefrom; the number of staff expected to leave in 2014; the annual expected savings therefrom; the number of staff expected to leave in 2015; the annual savings therefrom; the number of staff expected to leave in 2016; the annual savings therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35503/14]

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

65. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Taoiseach the total number of new appointments made in his Department and those under his remit since March 2011 to date in 2014, with a breakdown of the grade to which they were appointed during the period. [35802/14]

Written answers

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 41, 42 and 65 together.

The following table outlines staff numbers by grade as well as total salary costs for the period March 2011 to 31 August 2014:

Staff Profile	31/03/11	31/12/11	31/12/12	31/12/13	23/09/14
Secretary General	1	1	1	1	1
Second Secretary	0	1	1	1	1
Assistant Secretary	4	2	4	4	4
Principal Officer	13.6	8	11	11.5	11
Assistant Principal	22.4	17.4	23.7	23.8	25
Higher Executive Officer	21.3	22.1	23.2	22.6	21.6
Administrative Officer	8	4	11	9	10
Executive Officer	20.2	19.6	26.2	25.4	24.5
Staff Officer	10.43	7.83	7.83	6.8	5.8
Clerical Officer	37.5	31.5	32.3	32.3	31.3
Service Officer/ Service Attendant	12	12	11	10	9
Cleaner	7.58	7.58	5.58	5.58	5.58
Contract Staff	23.5	25.5	42	28	28.4
Total Staff Number	181.51	159.51	199.81	180.98	178.18
Annual Salary Costs		€10,013,786	€10,280,736	€9,955,334	€9,979,499*

*Estimated full year salary costs for 2014.

During the period in question, the Department's staff profile and areas of responsibility have changed considerably, including the transfer of the Public Service Modernisation function and 24 staff to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in April 2011, as well as the transfer in of 18 staff members to work on European Union issues from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2012. There were also some changes in staff profile that were temporary in nature that did not affect the permanent profile of the Department e.g. Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

During the period in question the Department has always worked within its Employment Control Framework.

While it is not possible to be definitive with regard to expected appointments and departures during 2015 and 2016 given the nature of the work of my Department, it is expected that approximately 2 people will retire in 2015 and 1 in 2016. Future costs and savings from changes in my Department's profile will form part of the overall budgetary arithmetic in 2015 and 2016 and will be influenced by the social and economic priorities of the Government.

Question No. 43 answered with Question No. 38.