Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 Dec 2003

Vol. 576 No. 5

Written Answers. - Departmental Staff.

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

453 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of personnel employed by her Department; the breakdown by county and number of the locations of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30185/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan):

At 1 December 2003, there were 4,304 posts filled in my Department. Taking account of worksharing staff, there are 4,731 people filling these posts.

The Department is organised on a headquarters, regional, local and decentralised office basis rather than on a county basis. Ten geographical regions, which include the social welfare local office network, five decentralised provincial offices and Dublin headquarter offices constitute the structure of the Department.

The number of posts filled at 1 December 2003 in each of the ten regions, the five decentralised offices and the Dublin headquarters is set out in the attached table. Details of the geographical areas covered by each region are also included.

Regions	Numberof Posts	Geographical Area Filled @ 1.12.03
Dublin North	248	Dublin North
Dublin South	194	Dublin South + Wicklow
Dublin West	168	Dublin West + Kildare
Midlands	121	Westmeath, Longford, Offaly, Laois, Roscommon
Mid-West	171	Limerick, Clare, Nth Tipperary
North East	144	Meath, Louth, Cavan, Monaghan
North West	174	Sligo, Donegal, Leitrim
Southern	261	Cork, Kerry
South East	215	Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Sth Tipperary, Waterford
Western	181	Galway, Mayo
Decentralised Offices
Sligo	505
Letterkenny	185
Longford	264
Waterford	28
Dundalk	90
Dublin Headquarters
Aireacht	329
Social WelfareServices HQ	967
Social WelfareAppeals Office	59