Ms Angela Fitzgerald:

We have 450 staff. On average, at any one time, we would have about 15 staff on agency. For the chief inspector, and inspectors, we are precluded by law from using anyone other than a permanent employee, so no inspectors are employed on an agency basis. However, like all organisations, where we have short-term absences in critical functions, typically in operational areas such as payroll or in areas where there is continuity, we use agency staff for short-term absences. We had an unplanned absence in the area of risk, for example, where somebody had to take a few months out for personal reasons. It would be very difficult to recruit somebody for that piece. We provide for that in how we work with our Department. We absolutely operate within our approved envelope but our reliance on agency is about 3% of the workforce and we seek to drive that down. We would like not to have it but there will always be short-term absences that arise where they give rise to agency. Our staff are senior. The Deputy asked that question earlier. We have senior staff so the agency cost will be commensurate with the fact that we are looking for senior staff on a short-term basis.