Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2010
120 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of jobs her Department claimed will be created as part of published policy papers, reports and documents commissioned by or compiled by her Department between 2010 and 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20912/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has made clear that a critical part of its strategy to restore the public finances is to achieve sustainability in the cost of delivering public services relative to State revenues. To help achieve this goal, it will be necessary to restructure and reorganise the public service and to reduce public service numbers over the coming years. This requires that the moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the health service will continue to apply until the numbers have fallen to the level set out in the Employment Control Framework for the health sector. The Framework for 2010-2012 gives effect to the Government decision on employment policy in the public sector and provides that there will be a net reduction in employment to 2012. This includes a target reduction in numbers in 2010 to achieve the overall reduction of 6,000 from March 2009 to the end 2012 and consequential pay roll savings. Based on numbers reductions already achieved in 2009, the net target reduction to end 2012 is 4,560 WTE (or 1,520 per annum).
The implementation of some health policy documents and reports may have staffing implications. However, these would need to be considered in the context of both the annual Estimates process and currently Government policy on employment in the health sector, including the moratorium on recruitment and promotion and the target reduction to end 2012 as required in the Employment Control Framework.
The Employment Control Framework for 2010 — 2012 provides for an additional 265 posts for the implementation of the Ryan Report on Child Abuse. There are also a number of grades exempted from the moratorium to maintain key front line services and to support the development of policies in relation to disability, mental health, cancer, and child care.
