Social Welfare Offices

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 March 2017

Tuesday, 21 March 2017

Questions (477)

Eugene Murphy

Question:

477. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of staff on temporary contracts in the social welfare offices in Carrick-on-Shannon for each of the years 2013 to 2016, inclusive, and to date in 2017, in tabular form; the reason staff have been left on long term temporary contracts which resulted in no vacancies in County Leitrim under the recent recruitment of permanent clerical officers for the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13498/17]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Temporary clerical staff are recruited to cover absences of permanent staff on maternity leave, long term sick leave, other statutory leave and also to provide cover for some staff availing of the shorter working year scheme. They are also recruited to alleviate work pressure in certain areas, and to assist in the roll-out of the Public Services Card project.

The table shows the number of Temporary Clerical Officers assigned to the Department’s offices in Carrick-on-Shannon in each of the years 2013 to date in 2017.

2013	2014	2015	2016	2017 to date
15	15	49	50	24

The Temporary Clerical Officers in the Department’s offices in Carrick-on-Shannon were recruited for the reasons mentioned above and also to facilitate specific project work on a temporary basis. Therefore the question of filling these posts by way of the assignment of permanent staff does not arise.