I propose to take Questions Nos. 255, 257 and 259 together.
Currently, my Department has two staff in the redeployment pool and there are no further staff waiting to be redeployed. Since the beginning of 2011, nineteen staff transferred out of my Department on redeployment. The maximum period of time that a staff member has been waiting for redeployment was approximately two months.
The Employment Control Framework (ECF) requires my Department to reduce staff numbers year on year until the end of 2015. At this point staff numbers in my Department are in line with targets set under the ECF programme and I am confident that the end of year target will be met.
As this is a day to day matter for the Agencies, I have asked the Agencies under the aegis of my Department to respond directly to the Deputies.