Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1: To ask the Taoiseach the number of staff vacancies in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17139/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 2: To ask the Taoiseach the number of staff vacancies in his Department broken down by grade; the steps being taken to fill these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19445/08]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach the number of staff vacancies in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20935/08]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 4: To ask the Taoiseach the way in which he intends to achieve the reduction of 3% in payroll costs for his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29627/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

Vacancies arise in my Department from time to time for a variety of reasons, including staff transferring to other Departments, retirements, career breaks and resignations.

In accordance with the business needs of the Department and the relevant Civil Service rules and procedures, it has been the practice to fill vacancies through the appropriate deployment of existing staff within the Department, promotion competitions, lateral transfers or external recruitment through the Public Appointments Service.

At present, there are three vacancies in the Department and it is anticipated that three more staff will leave the Department in the coming months. The grades involved are cleaner, service officer, clerical officer, administrative officer, higher executive officer and assistant principal.

Further to the Government's recent decision to achieve a 3% saving in payroll costs, the senior management team has decided that the staffing needs of the Department will be managed from within the existing staff complement, having regard to the budgetary constraints and the overall priorities of the Department.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I refer to comments made in July by the Government making a commitment to reduce the public service bill by 3% by the end of 2009. I note the Taoiseach has employed a non-Civil Service economic adviser in his own Department at an obvious cost to the taxpayer. May I take it that the 3% reduction in payroll will apply to both Civil Service and non-Civil Service staff?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It applies to the Department's full payroll.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Will it apply to both civil servants and non-civil servants?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The figure of 3% applies to the full payroll. The Department has been given an opportunity to reduce the payroll by 3% by the end of 2009 in respect of all employees, regardless of their status.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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If this is to apply across the board, how will the decision be made between civil servants and non-civil servants? Who is to point the finger of redundancy, moving on or whatever within the Department of the Taoiseach?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The reduction in payroll is envisaged on the basis of taking 3% off the payroll costs. One achieves this by examining whether to recruit people as a result of vacancies arising, the position regarding overtime and a range of issues. Such flexibility must be given to management to achieve the payroll cut. I am simply saying the payroll cut applies to the full payroll costs of the Department, regardless of the status of those who work there.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Have any appointments been made in the Department of the Taoiseach since the announcement was made regarding the 3% cut in payroll costs? How does the Taoiseach propose to achieve the 3% cut in payroll costs in his Department?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The decision to manage staff resources within existing staff resources in effect means that staff vacancies arising will, in general, not be filled by means of external recruitment, which will result in a permanent reduction in the authorised staff complement for the Department. This will necessitate reviews of how staff are deployed within the Department to ensure that key areas of departmental activity are staffed adequately. The Department will endeavour to redeploy staff according to key business needs and levels of activity, to restructure workloads as appropriate and to achieve greater productivity through exploiting new technologies and availing of shared services arrangements. That is how it will work.

It is difficult to predict the numbers affected at this time as the budgetary effect will depend on the timing and grade of any vacancies that may arise due to staff leaving the Department, whether as a result of retirement, external promotion or any other reason. It is estimated, based on averages, that approximately ten posts will be affected.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I thank the Taoiseach for reading out that section of his brief and ask him to answer the two questions I asked of him. Have any appointments been made in the Department of the Taoiseach since the 3% payroll cut was announced in July? How will he achieve the 3% payroll cut in his Department?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The answer to the first question is not to my knowledge. Second, I have just explained how the payroll cut will be achieved in the Department.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I will come back to Deputy Gilmore. I call Deputy Ó Caoláin.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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In the context of staff vacancies, can the Taoiseach advise what is the employment policy regarding people with disabilities within the Department of the Taoiseach? Does that Department have a policy of affirmative action to ensure people with disabilities have a fair opportunity to compete and access vacancies as they present? I expect the Taoiseach will confirm his acknowledgement that people with disabilities are under-represented within the Civil Service and his acceptance that the Civil Service itself is in a unique position to take affirmative action measures to try to address such under-representation.

While I am open to correction as there was a lot of background noise at the time, in his initial reply did the Taoiseach indicate there are three vacancies within his Department at present? What are the prospects of any of those positions within the Department of the Taoiseach being taken up by someone with a disability? Can the Taoiseach advise the House what affirmative action measures are currently in place within his Department and what further steps does he propose to take to address this extremely important and pressing imbalance?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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A census of staff serving in my Department as of 31 December 2007 was conducted in February of this year. Some 5% of the 79% who responded to the survey voluntarily disclosed a disability. My Department is an equal opportunities employer and staff are recruited solely on the basis of ability to fulfil specific roles. My Department exceeds the legislative requirement of employing a 3% level of people with disabilities in the public service and as I have stated, 5% of Department staff voluntarily disclosed disability.

Staff are recruited through the Public Appointments Service on the basis that they meet the requirements of the positions they are to fill. The issue of disability does not affect assignment to my Department and no exceptions are made in that regard. Recruitment, promotion, training and other benefits or opportunities are decided on objective criteria, including the qualifications and suitability of the applicant.

Our recruitment principles follow the Department of Finance code of practice for the employment of people with disabilities in the Civil Service and the Commission for Public Service Appointments code of practice for employment of persons with disabilities to positions in the Civil Service and certain public bodies.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach's reply invites a further question. He indicated that members of staff in the Taoiseach's Department voluntarily disclosed a disability of one sort or another. My understanding — the Taoiseach may correct me if I am wrong — is there is a requirement on Departments across the board to meet the 3% level in terms of recruiting people with disabilities. If the disclosures were voluntary, was this factor relating to disability taken into account with regard to access to employment in the first place?

This is a very important point which needs clarification as quotas are to be reached. These are currently inadequate and understate the present need. They should be increased to a 5% level — an argument I have made here before with the support of other voices currently in government.

Will the Taoiseach outline the current vacancies in his Department as I may not have picked him up correctly in his initial reply because of noise in the Chamber? I understand three vacancies were signalled but if this is not the case will the Taoiseach please let us know? Is there any prospect with regard to current affirmative action measures that the positions will be filled by someone with a clear disability if there are any vacancies in the Department?

We are talking about staff in the Taoiseach's Department and the Civil Service across the board. What is the Taoiseach's position on the contribution by the Minister of State, Deputy John McGuinness, in which he stated that the Civil Service is "a reactionary, inert mass at the centre of our economy" with too many square pegs in round holes throughout? The Taoiseach has not clarified to my satisfaction how he stands on that view, which must be a reflection on his Department also. Will the Taoiseach put on record how he stands on Deputy McGuinness's utterances and convey his view of the standard of people employed within our Civil Service?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I explained the various codes of practice employed within my Department and I have also indicated that based on a survey, we know approximately 5% of our employees meet the definition regarding disability. With regard to the specific query raised outside the ambit of this question on comments by the Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness, those were personal and do not reflect Government policy.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I will ask two further questions. The website of the Department of the Taoiseach shows the progress report, phase 3, of the public service modernisation programme, which was published in April 2007, or 18 months ago. In fairness, the first three reports were published within six months of each other. This modernisation programme, as the Taoiseach knows, details staff numbers and points out priorities for the Departments. Nothing further has been posted in the past 18 months so when can we expect the next progress report on public service modernisation in so far as it affects the Taoiseach's Department?

My second question — we have been around this mill a few times — relates to the communications unit established in the Department of the Taoiseach by the Taoiseach's predecessor for the purpose of providing news updates, transcripts and so forth. Recently, when the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, was musing about the return of third level fees, I noted he stated that his Department had built up a file of clippings to present to him in order that he could form a judgment on the issue.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I thought it was a pile of beer mats.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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This obviously means the Government Information Service is duplicating at a cost of €340,000 per annum what is being done in the Departments. In the context of the reduction in the public service pay bill, does this mean that either the units in the Departments or the communications unit will be the subject of some rationalisation?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I will have to check with the Deputy regarding the report on modernisation about which he inquires. I will get back to him on the issue which is outside the ambit of the questions in front of me.

On the communications unit, I have explained the situation regarding how it is envisaged that payroll costs would be cut in the Departments. It is not specific to individual units or members of staff. It is about how or whether one fills vacancies when they arise, where external promotions will be held, how one increases productivity and where one introduces information technology to assist productivity rather than increasing personnel. These issues form part of the management function to be managed in the course of the coming year to enable Departments to discharge their core function, while at the same time meeting the policy objective of reducing payroll costs.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I will return to the 3% reduction in payroll costs and the comments made by the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy John McGuinness. I do not accept the line that his comments were personal. This was not a——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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As the Deputy is well aware, the issue is not relevant to the questions, which relate to the number of staff in the Taoiseach's Department.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I will explain the reason the issue is relevant. The Minister of State proposed a way by which payroll reductions could be achieved and said a vast programme of redundancies should be implemented immediately across the Civil Service and State sector. He identified where these redundancies would take place and stated that there are too many people in the Civil Service who have no function or do not know what their function is.

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The same applies to the Government.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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There were, he said, featherless but still plump State hens in the Civil Service and unhappy square pegs in round holes.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Whatever about hens or ducks, the questions refer to staff vacancies in the Taoiseach's Department.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Are there any featherless but plump State hens in the Taoiseach's Department or square pegs in round holes who he believes should be made redundant? Is there anybody in his Department with no function who he may make redundant?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Having explained three times how the payroll costs are to be handled, I do not wish to repeat the explanation again. On the question of Civil Service and public service modernisation or public sector reform, as it has been described, I expect the task force, which I set up on obtaining the OECD report on the matter, will report to us very shortly. The task force will set out in a coherent and schematic way how to approach dealing with the recommendations in the OECD report, which refer to the fact that while overall we have a very good public service, there are clearly areas where we can try to improve. It is our objective to put in place the means by which we can achieve this based on the task force's recommendations. That is the most comprehensive and coherent way to approach these matters.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I have no assurance from the responses given so far by the Taoiseach that there is within his Department a policy of affirmative action in relation to people with disability. Does he accept that a statement of voluntary disclosure, which happens to show a level above the quotient applying with regard to the employment of people with disabilities, in no way assuages the fears of this Deputy or other people that there is not a proactive approach to facilitating people with disabilities accessing employment in Departments, specifically the Taoiseach's Department, and the broader Civil Service? I will not engage in a heated exchange with the Taoiseach on this matter. However, I invite him to put the record straight. Is there such a programme in place and, if so, does he project that people with disabilities will be considered for vacancies arising in his Department?

There must be certainty about this matter. It cannot be a case of adopting a hit and miss approach and inquiring after the fact, by means of voluntary disclosure, whether a person has a disability. There is a requirement on all Departments to ensure that a certain percentage of their staff have specified disabilities.

I welcome the Taoiseach's response, on the record, to the effect that remarks made by the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy McGuinness, were personal in nature and do not represent the views of the Government. When the Minister of State made his remarks, I was of the opinion that they reflected the usual confusion among members of Fianna Fáil who see the Civil Service as an appendage of their party. The Minister of State was clearly only referring to Fianna Fáil.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I cannot fathom the meaning of the second part of the Deputy's contribution.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I was referring to square pegs in round holes.

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach is not that slow.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The survey to which I referred is evidence that a policy exists, that this policy is monitored, that the targets set down are being exceeded and that there is adherence to the codes of practice. The Deputy's contention seems to be that a survey was carried out, that people disclosed their views and that there is not a policy, but the position is quite the contrary.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy McGuinness, is one of a number of new junior Ministers appointed by the Government. He is one of four Ministers of State serving in that Department.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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They will need a big table.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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When I asked the Taoiseach whether the Government had done anything to find jobs for people since the Dáil last met, he was not in a position to indicate a single action taken by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment or any of her four Ministers of State in the past ten weeks in that regard. To quote the Minister of State, Deputy McGuinness——

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy knows as well as I do that quotations are not allowed on Question Time.

Pádraic McCormack (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Yes, but they are good.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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They are not. It is not my fault they are not allowed; those are the rules of the House. In any event, and as Deputy Gilmore is probably well aware, the Minister for Finance has overall responsibility for the Civil Service. We must remain within the parameters of the original questions.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The question tabled in my name relates to the Government's objective to achieve a 3% reduction in payroll costs. Is the Taoiseach of the view that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which has four Ministers of State, is somewhat over-staffed?

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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A few of them are square pegs.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Or clucking hens.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Does he believe there might be scope for achieving a reduction in the payroll of that Department?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Ministers of State in question have cross-cutting responsibilities which range beyond their work in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. They are doing their jobs. The reduction in payroll costs relates to staff. I have already outlined, on approximately six occasions since I began answering questions on this matter, how that reduction is to be made.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Does the Taoiseach intend to introduce, if necessary, a voluntary redundancy scheme to bring about the cuts he proposes? Is such a scheme under consideration in any Department of State?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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No decision has been made in respect of those matters. All we have done is outline how the 3% payroll cuts are to be achieved.

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Is such a scheme being considered?

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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We should await the outcome of the task force report and the OECD report before considering any of those matters.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Taoiseach referred to the OECD report. Is it true that senior civil servants felt inhibited in putting forward their views on areas of the Civil Service and Departments where an over-deployment of staff — possibly as many as 8,000 — occurred? Is it also true the Government nobbled or interfered with the OECD report to make it less trenchant in the context of being an honest and open evaluation?

Very detailed reports were carried in the Irish Independent around the time of the summer recess. The Taoiseach's Department is responsible for that report, so could he say what interaction there was? Was there discussion about overdeployment in some areas, particularly arising from the mess caused to Departments by decentralisation, the general uncertainty about where people were going and from where they were coming and the duplication of offices arising from decentralisation? A number of senior civil servants were very disturbed and conveyed this quietly.

Is it true that in the Department of Social and Family Affairs, there was an open discussion at a management meeting that there was excessive deployment and confusion about what people were doing in the context of all the moves in the Civil Service again arising from decentralisation?

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Taoiseach can only answer for his Department. That is what the questions are about.

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am not aware of the identity of the civil servants who made those comments, if they exist at all. The OECD people stand over their report. I recall reading that article. I am not aware of those who felt so strongly or if they made themselves known.