Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2011
117 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the way he intends to do business and deliver services to citizens while reducing the number of public servants required to deliver said services each quarter. [11471/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra118 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 15 employees whose jobs have been cut in the Taoiseach group between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11472/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra119 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 48 employees whose jobs have been cut in the Finance group between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11473/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra120 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 287 employees whose jobs have been cut in the Environment group between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11474/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra121 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 211 employees whose jobs have been cut in the Education group between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11475/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra122 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 12 employees whose jobs have been cut in Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11476/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra123 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 1,348 employees whose jobs have been cut in the Health group between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11477/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra124 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 81 employees whose jobs have been cut in Tourism, Culture and Sport between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11478/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra125 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 2,305 employees whose jobs have been cut in the Health group between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11479/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra126 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 30 employees whose jobs have been cut in Transport between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11480/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra127 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 40 employees whose jobs have been cut in Agriculture between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11481/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra128 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 18 employees whose jobs have been cut in Communications, Energy and Natural Resources between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11482/11]
Amharc ar fhreagra129 Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Finance the positions of the 24 employees whose jobs have been cut in Foreign Affairs between the end of quarter four 2010 and the end of quarter one 2011. [11483/11]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 117 to 129, inclusive, together.
The Government is committed to continuing improvement in the efficiency of public services and, in order to achieve this, to formulate and promote policies which drive efficiency and effectiveness across the public service. As part of the Programme for Government, public service bodies have to adhere to targets in terms of numbers employed at the end of each year from 2011 to 2014. Returns for the first quarter of 2011 indicate that we are broadly on targets. Departments are also striving to provide an efficient, high quality service to customers, in particular by the re-organisation of work and priorities, by ensuring that they have, to the greatest extent possible, the necessary skills and expertise, systems and technology to address their needs and deliver required services. The continued co-operation of staff interests in accordance with the Croke Park Agreement is a vital element of this programme which will necessarily involve fewer staff delivering services, or delivering services in a different way.
I would also refer to the Deputy's questions (Reference Nos. 11472/11 to 11483/11) Nos. 118 to 129, inclusive, in relation to specific numbers reductions in various Departments and Vote Groups in the first quarter of 2011. These reductions are due to early and natural retirements, staff availing of unpaid leave for particular circumstances, those availing of time off under work/life balance schemes such as the Shorter Working Year scheme and to the normal turnover of staff at any given time of the year. As I have already indicated it is a matter for local managements to address service delivery issues with reduced numbers.
