Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together.

Some 23 member of staff appointed to my Department are subject to temporary contracts which will expire when the office-holder concerned ceases to hold office. In several cases, where the individuals concerned held Civil Service posts prior to their appointment, they will be entitled to return to their previous posts on termination of their appointments.

The number of persons working on temporary contracts in the Central Statistics Office is 203. The vast majority of such staff are involved in short term data collection operations for various CSO surveys. In total, 105 contracts are due to expire by the end of 2009. A total of 159 staff are employed as pricers to collect data one day per month to compile the consumer price index.

From August 2009, due to the introduction of a revised collection process, 98 pricers will be employed. A total of 40 staff, 32 enumerators and eight field supervisors, are working on a Census of Population pilot survey. Their contracts will terminate by the end of May 2009. The contracts of two staff employed as temporary tourist enumerators will expire by the end of May 2009. In addition, the contracts of two contractors carrying out IT consultancy work will expire in May to June 2009.

Four members of staff in the National Economic and Social Development Office are working on temporary contracts. One of these contracts will expire in 2009. In addition, the chairpersons of the National Economic and Social Forum and the National Centre for Partnership and Performance and the director of the National Economic and Social Council were appointed following the establishment of those bodies on a statutory basis. The Law Reform Commission will discuss its staffing needs with the Department of Finance in order to ensure that an appropriate research function is maintained. The Ireland Newfoundland Partnership employs one person on a temporary contract which is due to expire in April 2010.

It is difficult to predict the exact numbers of vacancies which will arise by the end of the year. However, I am aware that two officers of my Department are due to retire later this year. It is not possible at present to estimate if any further vacancies will arise by the end of 2009.

In keeping with the moratorium on recruitment and promotions in the public service which came into effect on 27 March 2009, no public service post, however arising, will be filled by recruitment, promotion or payment of an allowance for the performance of duties at a higher grade. Therefore, the vacancies arising in my Department will not be filled. This may necessitate reviews of how staff are deployed within the Department to ensure that key activities are adequately staffed and the overall priorities of the Department are met.

With regard to the National Economic and Social Development Office, one employee is currently employed on a three year contract which is due to expire shortly and this vacancy will not be filled. The Central Statistics Office anticipates that six retirements will take place later this year, four of which are currently being processed. The other two relate to staff reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 years.

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