Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

My Department will reach the reduction target of 4%. With regard to any new vacancy, the Department examines how it might reschedule staff and achieve greater efficiency. We are on course to meet the target and will do so. This will not be achieved by decreasing the workload but by efficiency, and technology helps in this regard by reducing the volume of paper. We must ensure we meet the target but we must not cut any of our services or current workload.

There are people throughout my Department who are proficient in the Irish language when dealing with the public and answering e-mails, correspondence and telephone calls.

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