Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would be more than happy to make available the information and would really appreciate the input of the committee.

Deputy Barry’s last questions were about training and office space. He is right that we can regard training as wasteful but we need to be very careful because as part of Civil Service renewal and making sure our public services are fit for purpose we are, for example, obliged under the new building regulations to provide five days of professional training to people in the engineering sector. I assure the Deputy it is not window dressing.

In response to the question about where all the people are gone, there are fewer people working in the public service and that has been reflected in property choices and decisions made by this office in consultation with Government clients over recent years. We are also moving to different types of workplace. I see it in the OPW office in Trim. We are moving to open plan and hot desks which helps us reduce leases and costs.