Local Authorities

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022

Thursday, 8 September 2022

Questions (662)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

662. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if any local authorities have a dedicated play officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43950/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end, my Department gathers aggregate quarterly data on staff numbers in each local authority on a whole time equivalent basis. 

However, granular data, in terms of individual roles in local authorities is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. The relevant information should be available from each local authority.