Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 November 2014
322. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff directly employed by AIB and the number employed through outsourcing as of October 2014; and these same figures at the time of the State takeover of the bank. [41727/14]
View answer323. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the steps he will take to ensure that the outsourcing of staff at any bank in which the State has shares will be done in a way that respects the pay, conditions and trade union recognition standards of the staff involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41728/14]
View answer324. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff directly employed by all State owned or State part owned banks and the number employed through outsourcing as of October 2014, and these same figures at the time of the State takeover of the banks. [41729/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 322 to 324, inclusive, together.
As the Deputy will be aware under the Relationship Frameworks the State does not intervene in the day to day operations of the banks or their management decisions regarding commercial matters. Any staff who transfer under outsourcing arrangements transfer under the TUPE regulations.
With regard to the number of staff employed, AIB and PSTB have provided me with the following information:
AIB
AIB's disclosures in relation to employee numbers are made twice yearly in its Annual and Half-Yearly Reports. In its 2014 Half-Yearly Financial Report the bank stated that it had 11,385 employees as at 30 June 2014. AIB manages outsourcing within its commercial business requirements and enters into arrangements with service providers to deliver a range of services not conducted by the bank. It is up to each service provider to manage the number of staff required to fulfil the contract it enters into with AIB. AIB does not disclose details of individual or collective contracts on confidentiality grounds.
AIB continues to manage its cost base and is on track to reduce operating costs by €350m in 2014 relative to 2012 levels.
PTSB
Staff numbers are included in the Annual and Half-Yearly reports published by the bank. PTSB has also confirmed that it has a small number of outsourcing arrangements with c.70 outsourced staff.
In the case of Bank of Ireland disclosures in relation to employees are made twice yearly in its Annual and Interim Reports. In its 2014 Interim report the bank stated that it had 11,386 employees as at 30 June 2014. The bank does not provide staff numbers in relation to outsourcing arrangements.
