Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

A full list detailing all of the individual requests for additional staff received from every Department since the beginning of last year will be forwarded to the Deputy directly. This information will reflect positions taken under the moratorium on recruitment and promotions in the Civil Service and the public service which was introduced in 2009 as an emergency response to the crisis in the public finances. As the Deputy is aware, in the budget last October I announced the new arrangements for bringing the moratorium to an end.

Overall, the information will show that, even under the moratorium, public service numbers increased by more than 1,400 in 2014, the first increase in overall numbers since 2008. This was the reform dividend about which we spoke here. At budget time last October I also made provision for an additional 1,700 teachers, special needs assistants and resource teachers, as well as additional front-line staff in the health service and 300 new Garda recruits. I expect many of these to come into the public service during the course of this year.

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