Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

Vacancies arise in my Department from time to time for a variety of reasons, including staff transferring to other Departments, retirements, career breaks and resignations.

In accordance with the business needs of the Department and the relevant Civil Service rules and procedures, it has been the practice to fill vacancies through the appropriate deployment of existing staff within the Department, promotion competitions, lateral transfers or external recruitment through the Public Appointments Service.

At present, there are three vacancies in the Department and it is anticipated that three more staff will leave the Department in the coming months. The grades involved are cleaner, service officer, clerical officer, administrative officer, higher executive officer and assistant principal.

Further to the Government's recent decision to achieve a 3% saving in payroll costs, the senior management team has decided that the staffing needs of the Department will be managed from within the existing staff complement, having regard to the budgetary constraints and the overall priorities of the Department.

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