Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the dilemma posed by Deputy Barry whether the Department should continue to pay staff and at least have the benefit of their services or else retire them which also costs money. One of the great features of Irish public administration is that we tend to do both simultaneously in that people retire with a lump sum and they are brought back and paid again. I refer to the case of Irish Water as a great example and also the teaching profession, although the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, has been trying to combat that practice. How many consultants were previously departmental staff? The Minister may not have that information to hand. Are many such people employed in various capacities by the Department, such as the consultants to whom the Minister referred? This seems to be a feature of Irish public administration which is not confined to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.