Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
719. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the workforce plan for the marine and climate unit; the current staffing levels; and the cost per year per post, in tabular form. [27701/23]
View answerAn Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
Since October 2021, my Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in An Bord Pleanála, as detailed below.
• In October 2021, my Department approved an additional 24 posts across a range of technical and administrative grades including the setting up of a new Marine and Climate Unit.
• In December 2022, 34 additional posts were sanctioned including posts in the Marine and Climate Unit, and the Board is in the process of filling these positions.
• In April 2023, An Bord Pleanála sought agreement for a total of 59 new posts which included posts for the Marine and Climate Unit, all of which were agreed by the Department. An Bord Pleanála submitted sanction approval requests for these positions and my Department has provided sanction approval for all 59 posts.
An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
In order to be of assistance, my Department obtained the information requested from An Bord Pleanála who have provided the following information relating to the staffing of An Bord Pleanála's Marine and Climate Unit.
Table 1 below lists the status of the agreed positions in An Bord Pleanála's Marine and Climate Unit as of the 22 May 2023 and the cost of each post.
Table 1: Staffing of An Bord Pleanála's Marine and Climate Unit as of 22nd May 2023
|
Role |
Number of Sanctioned and / or Approved posts |
Status of Role |
Cost of Each Post |
|
Director of Marine Planning |
1 |
Appointed |
€100,995.08 |
|
Assistant Director of Planning |
1 |
Appointed |
€88,093.41 |
|
Senior Administrative Officer |
1 |
Competition Advertised |
€74,701 |
|
Senior Planning Inspector |
9 |
Different Stages (filled and offers in place) |
€78,656 x 9 |
|
Specialist Role |
2 |
To be advertised |
€78,656 x 2 |
|
Senior Executive Officer |
1 |
Filled |
€53,955 |
|
Executive Officer |
4 |
Various stages (Appointed and interview stage) |
€33,812 x 4 |
|
Administrative Assistant |
4 |
Appointed |
€27,132 x 4 |
|
|
Total:23 |
|
|
