Louise O'Reilly
Question:46. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the estimated cost of employing one additional Workplace Relations Commission inspector. [33717/21]
View answerWednesday, 23 June 2021
Questions (46, 47)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:47. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the estimated cost of employing ten additional Workplace Relations Commission inspectors. [33718/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 47 together.
The WRC carries out inspections of employer records with a view to determining compliance with employment rights legislation.
The full year cost of recruiting an executive officer inspector for the Workplace Relations Commission would be approximately €61,341.
This is based on the calculation of staff costs as set out in the Public Spending Code. The code sets out that the cost should be based on the midpoint of the salary scale and include employer’s salary related PRSI, imputed pension costs and overheads e.g. ICT equipment, legal costs, travel and subsistence.
Using the same methodology, the cost of ten additional inspectors would be approximately €613,410.
The gross basic pay, exclusive of any of the additional costs set out above, at the first point of the Executive Office Scale (the scale to which WRC inspectors are assigned) would be €30,884 for one officer or €308,840 for ten.
My Department fully supports and continues to work closely with the WRC in monitoring its staffing and budgetary requirements. This includes anticipating future resource requirements to ensure that it is supported and adequately resourced to carry out its important work.
Currently, there are 2 competitions ongoing with the Public Appointments Service. Interviews for a HEO Inspector Team Manager competition have been finalised and the WRC expect 2 appointments from that competition shortly.
A recruitment drive for EO Inspectors is also underway. This will create a panel to enable vacancies to be filled and could potentially be used to increase inspector numbers in future, if the WRC deem it to be necessary.
The Department in conjunction with the Director General of the WRC is currently actively reviewing staffing levels of the WRC inspection services.
The WRC’s funding allocation for 2021 is €15.17 million for pay and non-pay. I am confident that the funding provided by my Department to the WRC is sufficient to ensure that the body is adequately resourced to respond to any additional demands on services.