Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2012
18 Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the action he, as Minister with legislative responsibility for local authorities, will take to address the loss of service arising from the retirement of more than 730 authority workers by the end of February 2012. [5903/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra25 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of jobs that have been lost in each of the 34 premier Irish local authorities in 2011 due to the embargo on recruitment; if he will estimate the potential job losses in each of the local authorities in 2012 due to the same embargo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5721/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 25 together.
The number of staff employed across all 34 local authorities at end of June 2008 was 37,243, compared to 29,744 at end of December 2011, a reduction of 7,499. Based on estimates from local authorities it is anticipated that a further 755 staff may leave the sector by end 2012. The recruitment moratorium in the Public Service was introduced by the Government in March 2009 as an emergency measure in response to the financial crisis facing the State and the moratorium remains in place.
Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each County and City Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for County and City managers, in the first instance, to ensure that the reduction in staff numbers is managed so that the appropriate service level is maintained. My Department operates the moratorium in relation to local authorities on delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. My Department works very closely with local authorities to ensure that critical posts are filled while overall numbers are reduced. In this regard, some 2,600 sanction requests have been dealt with by my Department.
A joint working group of the City and County Managers Association and my Department has been established to deal with staffing issues. The approach to staffing issues in the local government sector takes account of financial and efficiency requirements and the need to ensure appropriate levels of service, including front-line service provision.
