Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2017
353. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total number of full-time and part-time staff hired since 1 January 2017; the number of these staff hires recruited specifically to work on Brexit-related issues on a Department wide basis and in each State agency under her auspices, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5198/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra355. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of full-time and part-time staff hired since January 2017 following the confirmation that an additional €3 million has been allocated by her Department to the evolving Brexit scenario to increase resources in 2017, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5200/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra357. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the number of full-time and part-time staff in her trade policy section; the staff increases she is considering for 2017 to deal with developments around an impending Brexit; if any staff requests were made in 2016 to strengthen resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5202/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 353, 355 and 357 together.
Staffing levels of my Department, its Offices and Agencies reflect the requirement to manage the pay bill and staff numbers in accordance with Government pay policy with staff resources deployed in the most effective and efficient manner as appropriate to business needs and key priorities at any given time.
An additional €3 million was secured in respect of Pay in Budget 2017 and is being targeted specifically to assist in our response to the evolving Brexit scenario. It is enabling the Department and, primarily, our Agencies recruit an additional forty to fifty staff to supplement existing staffing numbers. In this regard, the additional €3m has been allocated across Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the Health and Safety Authority, as well as to support the dedicated Brexit Unit within my Department, which is led at Principal Officer level with a team of three staff (two assigned and one to follow), to be reviewed in line with the necessary workload as the Unit’s agenda unfolds. In addition, of course, the work of very many other Business Units across my Department is impacted by Brexit and these Units have, or are in the process of finalising, business plans for 2017 whereby Brexit implications for their work is factored in.
A workforce planning process spanning the years 2017-19 is currently underway across the Department and coordinated by my HR Unit which will review the level of resources assigned across all Divisions of my Department in relation to the current strategic priorities of my Department. Naturally, responding to Brexit will feature heavily in the plan.
Staffing resources are an ongoing priority to ensure my Department’s continued ability to facilitate the wide mission and volume of work in a range of challenging policy areas. This will continue with ongoing day-to-day review of the appropriate staffing across my Department in response to known and developing priority areas.
In relation to the number of staff serving in the Trade Policy and Export Licensing Section in 2016 and 2017 is concerned the figures are as follows:
|
January 2016 |
January 2017 |
|
16 |
18 |
A small number of staff in this Unit have availed themselves of various reduced working hours arrangements such that the Full-time Equivalent figures are:
|
January 2016 |
January 2017 |
|
15.5 |
17.1 |
In relation to the number of staff hired in the Department between 2012 and 2017 the following table sets out the position:
|
Year |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
New “hires” |
14 |
33 |
59 |
33 |
75 |
4 |
|
Total number of staff |
843 |
857 |
854 |
848 |
857 |
854* |
*Position as at 27 January, 2017
It is important to appreciate that the increase in numbers in 2013 was primarily due to the transfer of functions from the Equality Tribunal from the Department of Justice and Equality, whereas for 2014 it was primarily as a result of the dissolution of Forfás which was integrated into the Department. Also, there would have been a number of exits through retirement, promotion, resignations and so on such that the total number of staff employed in the Department at year end in each year has been given to show how staffing levels have been relatively stable in recent years after the earlier period of downsizing under the various employment control measures introduced from 2008.
