Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. In terms of day-to-day operations, the Public Appointments Service operates independently and the level of interaction I have with it on a day-to-day basis is limited. The Supplementary Estimate, in particular, arose as a result of the additional recruitment of medical and clerical staff, especially in the health area. The majority of the Supplementary Estimate relates to the ongoing works to upgrade and modernise the offices in Chapter House. That includes, for example, the modernisation of interview suites to include increased options for digital services and to allow for social distancing in face-to-face interviews and so on. For any individual recruitment campaign for a particular post, it is a matter for the Public Appointments Service as to whether it wishes to comment. I imagine the service is constrained in its ability to comment on any individual recruitment campaign but that is a matter for itself. I am happy to take any questions arising from the committee's report.