Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2017
101. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the contact he has had with the Central Bank regarding its chronic staff shortages and its inability to fill 200 available positions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31199/17]
View answer102. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Finance the discussions he has had or knowledge within his Department regarding the statements by the Central Bank on its inability to attract appropriate applications for job vacancies and the contention that it is deliberately excluding anybody that worked for over ten years in an Irish bank pre-crisis or anyone that worked on the bank inquiry and instead is promoting internally. [31200/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together.
The Central Bank periodically has an informal exchange of views with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the resourcing issues facing the public sector.
I am informed by the Central Bank that while recruitment for positions across the Bank is challenging, and turnover in certain areas, including in Financial Regulation, is higher than optimal, it is not correct to imply that these challenges are having an impact on the operation of the Bank.
The Governor of the Central Bank has previously indicated that where further resources are necessary due to an expanded universe of regulated and supervised firms, the Bank will increase staff numbers as necessary.
The Central Bank has the ability to effectively re-prioritise to meet any increased level of demand and complexity, but where required to, the Central Bank will increase staff numbers as necessary.
The Bank has filled 189 positions in the first half of 2017. Latest figures available show a net increase of 20 FTEs to the end of May 2017. In 2016 the Bank attracted over 10,000 applications for roles and filled over 500 positions.
The Central Bank is not aware of a contention that it is deliberately excluding anybody that worked for over ten years in an Irish bank pre crisis or anyone that worked on the banking inquiry, and in response to this would point to the fact that over 50% (880 FTEs) of the staff employed in the Bank today joined post 2010; a significant number of whom would have joined from a financial services background.
The Central Bank is an equal opportunities employer, committed to diversity and inclusion and there is no policy to exclude applicants with prior experience within the Irish banking system. Roles are filled on the basis of experience and skills as set out in the role profile and many roles benefit from previous experience of working in the banking sector.
