Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

A number of questions were asked. I appreciate the Deputy's general concern on the matter. The exit at the end of this month is of the order of 3% of the public service. It is one of which we have had much notice and a lot of strategic planning has been ongoing. I cannot guarantee that there will not be a glitch because it will be the area in which we least expected a problem to arise. However, I do expect managers at local level to address problems as they arise and to solve them.

In terms of the specific points made, as the Deputy is aware, some nursing grades are not subject to the moratorium and they can be replaced immediately. Some €16 million is available to the HSE to fill critical grades. As all consultant posts are outside the embargo, they can be filled.

We need to examine different ways of delivering services. The process of downsizing the public service is being done in tandem with delivering services differently. The Deputy mentioned the Garda. Garda rosters have been in place since the 1970s, yet people have been trying to change them to put the maximum number of gardaí on the beat at the points and times they are most needed and the least number at the points and times they are least needed. This level of flexibility has not existed to date, but it will from 1 April. Across the public service, this level of flexibility is being found.

The Department of Social Protection has a large volume of staff. Indeed, its staff levels have increased, given the influx of community welfare officers and the FÁS cohort. Some of the latter went to the Department of Education and Skills. There will be redeployment, as there has been already. All of the issues in question will be addressed.

In the past fortnight, the Government approved 32 - I am going from memory - senior Garda appointments. We are reviewing staffing requirements on a case by case basis. Perhaps we can now consider what the best management structures for the public service are, including agencies and the Garda.

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