Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for responding to question No. 24. It is the same question that I submitted last September and it is unfortunate that it took six months to get the information I wanted on consultant vacancies. It appears that there are 325 vacancies in real terms. My question relates to subsection (f) of my question which is about the number of retirements expected in 2015. Again, similar to October, I have received an inadequate answer. If one takes it that there are 2,300 posts, one can assume the average consultant will work in the system for approximately 20 years and that there will be 100 retirements in any one year. The details on who is retiring and how we are planning are causing problems. If one offers a job in the morning to someone who is working in the UK, Australia or Canada, the likelihood is that they will not be able to take up the job in Ireland for 12 months. Therefore, we appear to be advertising jobs when the vacancy arises. I ask that we would get a report on how we are going to deal with the matter in the future. I note that in the reply to my question it was indicated that someone will be appointed to put together all of the data. Could we put together information on who is retiring in the next 12 months in order that we can advertise the vacancies long before they arise? It has taken six months to get a response. That is the type of change we need in terms of planning.

One of the other questions I have - I think it was question No. 26 - concerns the appointment of people without interview. I am referring to managerial and administrative staff. In real terms, approximately 1,527 people have been appointed over the past five years without interview.