Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 290: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the criteria he will apply when deciding on the areas in the public sector to undertake recruitment in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1077/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The criteria for recruitment of staff to the public service are determined in the context of the Government's budgetary and policy framework. While the primary focus of public service numbers policy will remain the reduction in the public service pay bill, there must also be an opportunity for selective recruitment in the coming years to reinforce the upskilling and reforming of the public service. It will be important that longer term workforce planning needs are also addressed with (initially very small scale) recruitment of staff at various levels across the different parts of the public service. In general it will be a matter for local and departmental management to identify emerging skills gaps whether arising from staff turnover or from changes in the external environment which require new responses and new skill sets. In relation to the civil service, the sector for which I have specific responsibility, my Department is currently working in conjunction with Departments and Offices on the development of a Workforce Planning Framework for the civil service. On the basis of this overarching framework each Department/Office will be required to adapt the framework to its individual requirements and devise a Workforce Action Plan for its organisation. The target is that Workforce Action Plans should be progressed by all Departments/Offices by June 2012.

In addition sectoral workforce planning groups have been tasked with addressing emerging workforce planning issues in the Health, Education, Local Authority, Justice and Defence sectors. Given that current and emerging business pressures, as well as staff turnover rates, will vary sectorally the precise recruitment criteria that will apply will necessarily have to be adjusted from sector to sector. However the overall context will remain to reduce the costs of the public service while maintaining more focused levels of service to the public.