Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

Ongoing competition in the external labour market has led to slower than expected staff assignments. However, recruitment activity is now trending positively. There has been a 4% increase in staff numbers since the start of the year, with 282.8 whole-time equivalents. At the start of the year, there were 6,625. At the end of October, there were 6,908. An additional 311 full-time equivalents are expected between November and March 2026. As a consequence of full employment, it is harder to get staff in certain roles. Sometimes in full employment, it is harder to get people in the public sector because there are more lucrative opportunities in the private sector. That is the reason for that.