State Bodies Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 July 2016

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Questions (92)

David Cullinane

Question:

92. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff working in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General; the number of agency workers employed by it; the cost of outside consultancy staff or organisations outside the public service employed or commissioned to do work for it, in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21449/16]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables:

Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General

Staff Numbers 2011 to 2016 Whole Time Equivalents (WTE) a

	2016 (estimate)	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
Authorised maximum staff complement	164	164	150	150	150	150
Actual average employed	146	145	143	146	138	145
(As a % of staff complement)	(89%)	(88%)	(95%)	(97%)	(92%)	(97%)
Other resources employed
Contracted in staff   (temporary)b	9	9	5	5	5	3
Outsourced audits	6	7	7	7	7	7
Total	161	161	155	158	150	155

 Note:

a  Whole Time Equivalent' (WTE) is the standard measure of numbers employed in the public sector. It takes account of staff employed on a job sharing or part-time basis.

b   Qualified accountants are contracted in on a short term, agency basis (with sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform) to fill gaps in staffing while recruitment processes are undertaken.

The difference between the authorised number and the average actually employed in each year is generally due to the time lag between the date of staff departures and the completion of recruitment processes.

Costs of Contract or Consultancy Staff

	2016 Estimate	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011
	€000	€000	€000	€000	€000	€000
Cost of consultancy	3	32	2	36	-	101
Cost of contracted in staff	495	536	171	283	198	192
Cost of outsourced audits	500	398	424	401	414	394
Total	998	966	597	720	612	687

Consultancy work mainly relates to the engagement of experts to support reporting and audit work in specialised and technical areas, for example, examinations of health or engineering matters.

Qualified accountants are contracted in on an agency-basis for short periods to fill temporary gaps which arise where permanent staff depart.

The Office outsources selected financial audits as a means of meeting part of the peak in audit demand and facilitating timely certification of financial statements. There is an agreement with staff unions to outsource audit work up to an average of 6 WTEs per year. Procurement of firms to undertake this work is subject to regular market testing.