The moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was introduced in March 2009 in response to the financial crisis. My Department operates a delegated sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for implementation of the moratorium in relation to local authorities, and any exceptions to the moratorium in local authorities require sanction from my Department.
Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive 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 Chief Executives, in the first instance, to ensure that the moratorium is implemented while appropriate service levels are maintained.
My Department examines all staffing sanction requests on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services, and economic issues are given precedence. Since 1 January 2014, my Department has sanctioned 12 temporary lifeguard positions and 1 Cemetery Supervisor position at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council as exceptions to the staffing moratorium. My Department does not co llect data on vacancies in the local government sector. However, my Department does gather quarterly data on staff numbers in local authorities including the numbers of acting arrangements. The number of staff on acting arrangements reported by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council on 30 June 2014 was 23.2 ( Whole Time Equivalent basis ).
