The Department is committed to ensuring that a skilled and motivated workforce is in place to meet its priority business needs and utilises workforce planning to identify and address these needs for all our locations. Recruitment is currently under way in the Department, and posts continue to be advertised by either the Public Appointments Service (PAS) or by my Department's Human Resources Division. I am acutely conscious of the need for farmers to avail of prompt and efficient services and all critical staffing vacancies are filled as soon as possible when suitable candidates become available.
The Department’s office in Castlebar currently has a total of four vacancies (one District Superintendent, two Technical Agricultural Officers and one Clerical Officer), and work is ongoing to actively address these, taking into account the balance of needs and resources across the Department.