asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the work at present being undertaken by (a) the 261 Land Commission staff (b) the 407 Farm Development Service staff and (c) the 69 staff allocated to livestock improvement schemes.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Deployment of Staff.
32.
The following is a summary of the work being undertaken at present in the areas mentioned by the Deputy:
(a) Staff in the Land Commission are engaged in (i) the disposal of all land and turbary in its possession; (ii) the collection of annuities; (iii) the vesting of title in allottees and tenants; (iv) the custody of maps and title documents and the provision of these to the public; (v) exercising the statutory controls on the purchase of land by non-nationals and on the subdivision of farms; (vi) the provision of assistance in schemes of group purchase, rearrangement, commonage division and leasing; (vii) legal work arising from the Land Acts.
(b) Staff in the Farm Development Service are responsible for the formulation of general structural policy and for the operation of the various farm improvement, development and drainge schemes. In addition, field staff have been engaged with the task force on pollution, with the testing of sheep for radiation, and on the cattle and sheep headage schemes.
(c) The staff allocated to livestock improvement schemes are engaged in the formulation and implementation of policies for the genetic improvement of cattle, sheep, pigs and horses. They are also engaged in administering national and EC legislation for these animals.
What is the Minister's view on the 750 staff in these areas, bearing in mind the view expressed by the Taoiseach at the IMI conference in Killarney that there was a surplus of 500 in the overall staffing of his Department?
The Deputy is aware that we have been tackling the problem as a matter of urgency. However, I inherited a certain number of staff and I cannot suddenly tell them to go. The surplus was there before I took office and that is why the Government took an audit within all Departments. The vast bulk of the work in the Department of Agriculture and Food is in respect of managing, supervising and channelling funds coming from the European Community. Most of the money comes from the EC and it has to be managed, supervised and paid out. People should not relate the staff of the Department to what is being done at home through our own resources.
Will the Minister give an indication of the amount of money — administration and salaries excluded — involved in the livestock improvement schemes which are being looked after by 69 members of his staff?
The Deputy did not ask that question originally. I do not have the information but I will communicate directly with him in that respect.
Will the Minister focus on that point because my understanding is that no money is being administered by members of his staff, which would certainly call in question the need——
I have a general idea but I will get the figures for him.
In the light of the audit report, will the Minister agree that the point I have made consistently for the last six months in relation to the disparity as to staffing and funding in the Department and Teagasc is fully borne out now?
No.
The audit report corroborated the case I made for a transfer of funding from the Department's administration budget to Teagasc.
It is very easy to engage in general criticism of the staff of a Department but much of the criticism is not accurate.
I am criticising the Minister.
The Coalition Government decided to abolish the Land Commission and I inherited the staff of 280.
We put them to work on the land.
It is a bit unreasonable to tell the Government to get rid of them. We had ascertained that there was a surplus of staff in my Department before the audit was undertaken and the reason it was taken there first was that we had the information ready for them. The report merely confirmed our findings. I am very anxious to get the balance right but, as Deputy Hegarty knows, it is a very hard-working Department and we must be careful not to knock people who work hard. After all, they did not abolish the Land Commission. Indeed, some members of staff were working with me in the Department until 11.30 p.m. last night and I would not like the public to be under the impression that they are all relaxing in the office.
Deputy J. O'Keeffe rose.
There are two remaining questions and I want to dispose of them within the prescribed time.