Staffing resources required to meet my Department’s business needs are assessed through my Department’s workforce planning process, having regard to emerging business needs and Government policy on public sector pay and staffing as advised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. My Department’s Workforce Plan does not identify vacancies per se across the different work sectors, whether arising from retirements or other factors, but seeks rather to identify gaps in service delivery that can be addressed on a priority basis in light of available resources.
I am advised that there are eight Conservation Rangers in the South Eastern Region, which takes in Counties Carlow and Kilkenny. The Public Appointments Service held an open competition to recruit Conservation Rangers for this Department and, arising from that competition, a panel of suitably qualified persons is in place. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department is currently working to fill fourteen Conservation Ranger posts across the country from this panel. The new appointees will be allocated to fill gaps where it is considered that insufficient cover exists at present. It should be noted that, where such gaps exist, a measure of cover is already provided by way of higher management grades, particularly District Conservation Officer.
I am not aware of any mechanism whereby Conservation Ranger posts can be filled by employees that wish to transfer from Inland Fisheries Ireland, nor of the existence of a list of those wishing to transfer, such as described by the Deputy.
