Bertie Ahern
Ceist:1 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach the reason for the increase in staff in his Department from 141 to 169 between April 1994 and April 1995. [12243/95]
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Departmental Staff.
The staff, permanent and temporary, of my Department increased by 28 over the period in quesion. Seventeen of these positions were approved, in terms of Estimates provision, before the Government came into office.
Five extra posts were approved for the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation.
The staffing of the Northern Ireland Division has increased by three arising from the ongoing peace process. Fourteen people have been provided in the areas of local development, western development and rural renewal. Three extra staff have been assigned to the European Affairs section to meet the increasing demands as we near the 1996 Presidency and the Intergovernmental Conference. The balance of three people work in the Government Press Secretariat and the Famine and 1798 Commemoration Office.
I am glad the Taoiseach has changed his views of civil servants and has substantially increased the number in his Department. Comments have been made recently in the media about the Government's recruitment policy and the reintroduction of the embargo. What is the Government's policy on this issue?
It would be more appropriate for the Deputy to address that question to the Minister for Finance. The Government has not introduced an embargo; it has introduced a planned arrangement in respect of recruitment and numbers so that it only employs the number it can prudently afford to pay.
Has the administrative budget process which allowed Departments, departmental secretaries and other senior officials to allocate a certain amount of fixed resources for staffing been removed?
It would be better if the Deputy posed questions of that nature to the Minister for Finance.
Answer the question.
Is the administrative budget process still operational in the Taoiseach's Department?
We have already allocated an adequate number of staff for all the functions we need to perform and we have a reasonable degree of flexibility to move staff from one function to another as and when required. Most of the officials in my Department are not tied to one type of work in terms of their qualifications; they can move from one area to another. There is no difficulty, therefore, in applying an administrative budget approach in my Department within the overall numbers restriction.
The Taoiseach says he has no difficulty in operating the administrative budget process but I want to know if it is still operational in his Department.
It has operated——
Is it in operation now?
——to enable us to reach the present allocation of staff in respect of various functions, which is entirely adequate.
Does the Taoiseach intend to move away from the administrative budget system in his Department?
I am happy with the way in which staff are allocated in my Department and I have no intention or plan to make any change. If the Deputy wishes to ask questions about restrictions on recruitment generally, the general operation of the administrative budget system, strategic management or related matters he would be well advised to table separate questions which will be answered.