John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The numbers of permanent and temporary staff employed across all 34 local authorities at end of December 2008 were 31,846 and 3,166 respectively, compared to 30,564 and 1,691 at end of December 2009. The breakdown by individual local authority will be circulated with the Official Record. Figures for 2010 are not yet available. Information In regard to the number of staff shed in each local authority since the 2007 general election is not available in the Department.

With effect from 24 March 2009 until the end of 2010, no public service post, however arising, may be filled by recruitment, promotion, or payment of an allowance for the performance of duties at a higher grade. This general moratorium also applies to temporary appointments on a fixed-term basis and to the renewal of such contracts.

The Department received a delegated sanction from the Department of Finance in August 2009 for implementation of this general moratorium on the filling of public sector posts across all local authorities. This is on condition that the overall staffing levels in the sector are reduced significantly by the end of 2010 in adherence with the Government's policy on staffing and numbers in the public sector.

Local authorities are expected, where vacancies arise, to consider options for reorganisation and reallocation of work to meet requirements. Staffing sanctions are granted by the Department in exceptional circumstances including where posts are of a statutory nature or for posts associated with frontline service delivery. In this context, in dealing with overall management of organisation and personnel, local authorities are expected to give priority to assuring compliance with statutory obligations and the delivery of front line services.

Staffing Table

See this speech in context