Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 44: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of local authority employees who have applied for the incentive career break scheme, the incentivised scheme for early retirement and the shorter working year scheme; the number who have been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43031/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The objective of Government policy on staffing and numbers is to ensure overall staffing levels in the public sector, including local government, are significantly reduced. With the existing recruitment moratorium, three further schemes have been implemented to support this objective: the special incentive career break scheme, the incentivised scheme of early retirement and the shorter working year scheme.

A special incentive career break scheme for local authority employees was introduced earlier this year as part of the Government's efforts to achieve a reduction in spending on the pay bill. Figures supplied by local authorities, including the regional assemblies, indicate that 295 staff have availed of the scheme from a total of 322 applications received.

The incentivised scheme of early retirement was announced by the Minister for Finance in the Budget Statement of 7 April. The purpose of the scheme was to facilitate the permanent, structural reduction in the numbers of staff serving in the local authorities. Figures supplied by the local authorities, including the regional assemblies, indicate that 276 staff have availed of the scheme from a total of 312 applications received.

The purpose of the shorter working year scheme is to permit local authority employees to balance their working arrangements with outside commitments. Special leave without pay is available for periods of two, four, six, eight, ten or 13 consecutive weeks. Both the application period and the scheme are currently open-ended - applicants are free to apply for the scheme at any time. The information on the numbers availing of the scheme is not available in my Department.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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The Minister said the purpose of the schemes was to reduce staffing numbers in local authorities and he gave the figures. However, they are in addition to information I received from him last week on the number of staff employed by local authorities. There has been a significant reduction in the number of staff working in permanent posts in local authorities, with 550 fewer permanent staff in the country as a whole since June 2008. These reductions are in addition to huge cutbacks in the numbers of temporary staff in local authorities, with 3,604 fewer staff than in June 2008. This is because local authorities are trying to keep within budget because the Government has cut local government funding. Of the counties affected by flooding, Cork County Council has 459 fewer temporary staff and 81 fewer permanent staff and there are similar patterns in Galway, County Clare and Cork city. Many of these temporary staff would have been outdoor staff who would have been able to help with flood alleviation measures. Is the Minister aware of the impact on resources of temporary staff cuts arising from the various schemes he outlined?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am not aware of any such impact. I am looking at the number of applications approved in the areas affected by floods. In County Clare the number of applications under the special incentive scheme was eight; in Cork county there were 15 and in County Galway, four; therefore, they will not have an impact. The number of approvals under the career break scheme in Cork city was 16. The sector is working to balance the need for reduced staffing levels with the need to provide services to expected levels. In this context, local authorities have refocused programmes and staffing to priority areas. They have sought to eliminate and curtail programmes and services of a more discretionary nature and have been active in seeking to support enterprise and protect employment locally by redeploying staff accordingly. They have continued to provide and maintain a wide range of services, notwithstanding the Government's policy of reducing staffing numbers within the public sector. Staff have also been redeployed from areas of lower demand to facilitate cost reductions. Examples include the redeployment of planners to business support units such as in Meath County Council and the redeployment of housing staff from Wicklow County Council to recycling functions in Bray.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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I accept the point made by the Minister that the figures are relatively small but the number of staff in Cork County Council is down by 500 since June 2008. Local authority staff in affected areas made a very reasonable decision to call off their day of action. They are working extremely hard but it is clear they are under pressure. Floods are not a new phenomenon but county councils, local authorities and emergency services are working under a lot of pressure. The number of permanent staff in Clare County Council is down by 44, while the number of temporary staff is down by 19. Many of the temporary staff, in particular, would be helping to clear roads and drains to deal with the emergency. These are the practical matters that must be attended to when flooding occurs. After staff losses, those left behind are under greater pressure. Will the Minister display flexibility? Can the councils take on staff specifically to deal with the floods?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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This was not intended to be a question on floods. I record my thanks to local authority members and the emergency services, particularly the Defence Forces and Civil Defence, all of whom have done an outstanding job in the past few days. Those on the front line include members of the Army which filled 200 sandbags an hour in County Clare and Civil Defence, all of whom are voluntary and not associated with local authorities. They have done brilliant work on a voluntary basis. The flood emergency plans worked and it is now a question of cleaning up. We are in recovery phase.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Will the Minister provide extra resources?

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Access to clean drinking water is a priority. The plant on the Lee Road was submerged. It must function again as quickly as possible, which we hope will happen by the end of the week. Resources will be made available to the local authorities.