Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising this matter. I note his concern with regard to the loss of skills and expertise in the public service and how this might impact on service delivery.

The first point I would make is that Ireland is committed, under the EU-IMF programme, to reducing the overall size of the public service. That is also a key element of the programme for Government. This means that when public servants choose to retire, they will not be replaced in the majority of cases. Delivering this reduction will require continued implementation of the moratorium on recruitment - with exceptions being limited to essential posts only - and the utilisation of redeployment as the primary mechanism to fill posts which have been approved. In order to protect front-line services, the Government is committed to making fundamental changes to the way the public service operates. This will inevitably mean altering in the way in which services to the public are delivered. The retirement of long-serving staff in any organisation can represent a loss of skills and experience but it can also represent an opportunity for an organisation to consider re-fashioning its business delivery model in order to take account of changing circumstances. There is also an opportunity for more junior staff to take on leadership roles and this can have a very positive impact on service delivery.

The Government must deliver better value in the public sector in order to reduce the deficit and protect front line services. In the first instance, it is part of the day-to-day function of the boards of management of many public bodies to assess and budget and plan for current and ongoing staffing requirements, including the identifying of key posts and services, particularly those relating to front line services. Given the acute fiscal restraints under which the country is currently operating, however, the reality is that all public service employers must operate within necessarily reduced and reducing resources. In recent years, enhanced numbers monitoring systems and multi-annual employment frameworks have been put in place. These arrangements will be strengthened to ensure that effect will be given to Government decisions on public service numbers and they will aid public bodies in adjusting to future staffing levels while minimising impacts on services.

The Government is not operating a blanket embargo on recruitment to the public service. In order to protect crucial services, exceptions to the moratorium may be granted in respect of: statutory posts which, for legal reasons, must be filled; circumstances where failure to fill posts would result in a breach of EU-international regulations and impact upon exports etc.; safety-related posts, which must be filled for security reasons or failure to fill which could leave the State open to potential legal liabilities; specialist-technical posts to ensure continuity of operations - for example, legal officers; laboratory staff, maritime safety personnel, etc.; and ensuring the continuity of front line services. The list of exceptions granted is regularly reported to the House in replies to parliamentary questions. This was most recently done on 16 November last.

As the Deputy is aware, in the case of certain front line services in the education and health sectors, a number of grades are exempted from the moratorium. This is to ensure that the services to which I refer will be maintained. In any large organisation there will inevitably be a turnover in staff numbers. However, the reason for any particular vacancy arising - whether as a result of early retirement, maternity leave, career break, resignation, etc. - is not a factor in decisions relating to exceptions to the moratorium. These decisions are based purely on the business case made in respect of particular vacancies.

It is critical that public service management should ensure that the public service continues to operate services properly and prudently, notwithstanding the departure of large numbers of experienced staff in a relatively short timeframe. This will require careful planning at local level. The recent introduction of the requirement to give three months' notice of intention to retire will be of assistance in this regard. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is supporting the establishment of strategic manpower planning groups in each sector. Sectoral employers that are best placed to assess emerging sectoral challenges will be expected to develop plans to deal with the operational and strategic consequences arising from the outflow of staff in 2012 and future years. The sectoral groups will feed into a central strategic manpower planning forum under the aegis of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

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