Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 8 February 2023
Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach
Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 - Public Expenditure and Reform (Revised)
Vote 12 - Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Revised)
Vote 14 - State Laboratory (Revised)
Vote 15 - Secret Service (Revised)
Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service (Revised)
Vote 18 - National Shared Services Office (Revised)
Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman (Revised)
Vote 39 - Office of Government Procurement (Revised)
Vote 43 - Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Revised)
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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They are in a position to meet the needs of many different clients, which range from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine all the way across to the Office of the State Pathologist. They have an incredibly wide range of clients whose needs they must meet. Do they have the ability to meet those needs? Yes, I believe they do, but it is also worth saying that this is an area in which we are experiencing significant recruitment difficulties. We had an underspend in the pay subhead for this organisation in 2022 and the main reason for that was challenges in recruitment. The management of the State Laboratory are bringing forward work and plans to look to address the recruitment delays we have in the third quarter of this year. I believe they can meet the needs. Can they always do better and can they better meet the needs of the clients they have? I am sure that is the case, as it is the case with any State agency. As I have said, the particular challenge we have is how we can recruit highly specialist staff in this area.