Enda Kenny
Ceist:1 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach the number of staff vacancies at his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25200/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 1 December 2004
Ceisteanna (1, 2)
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:2 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the number of staff vacancies in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26392/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí ó Béal (14 píosaí cainte)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. There are no vacancies in my Department at present.
My question will be slightly longer than the Taoiseach's reply. I was interested in knowing a bit about the staffing position in the Taoiseach's Department because the Estimates show a 4% increase in staff. Last year, the Taoiseach said there were no vacancies in his Department. Has he lost staff in the time since? The figure of 4% does not indicate an increase and yet there is a 23% increase in consultancy services. Is there a change in direction in terms of outsourcing some of the work of his Department? Is that a trend which he thinks will continue or increase? What is the reason for the 23% increase in consultancy fees compared to the staffing position?
My Department, under agreements with the Department of Finance and other Departments, has been asked to reduce its numbers by 4% between 2003 and 2005, two years of which has already passed. My Department is relatively small and achieving that target will not be too big a task. I can confirm that the Department is on course to meet its target. It is proposed to achieve the reduction through the restructuring of workloads as vacancies occur and, where feasible, by exploiting efficiencies and economies in new technologies. The process is kept under review by MAC.
Most of the consultancies undertaken in my Department relate to work engaged in under the social partnership process or within the information technology unit. There is little consultancy in terms of normal departmental work.
Why the increase?
The consultancies relate to work undertaken in connection with the social partnership process. Such work would not be undertaken by staff but by outside consultancies. My Department takes up the cost of outside consultancy reports on agriculture and for trade unions and employers. Also, the IT unit undertook an extensive survey, the report of which was published this year but I am not sure if it was costed last year or is included this year. That is from where the figure for consultancies arises.
Will the Taoiseach confirm whether a member or members of his staff are mandated to liaise with Independent Members of the House with a view to——
That matter is well outside the scope of the questions.
No, it is within the scope of the question.
The questions refer to staff vacancies.
Have any vacancies been filled by staff who are mandated to liaise with Independent Members of the Oireachtas, with a view to giving them——
Or, are any vacancies likely to be created as a result of——
No, there are no vacancies in that area. As was the case in the previous Government, a member of my staff linked to the Chief Whip's office keeps in touch with Independent Members of the House.
Did the Minister with responsibility for tourism have any role in that?
He is a tourist himself.