Dáil debates

Thursday, 23 May 2013

Other Questions

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

4:30 pm

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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8. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will lift the public sector recruitment embargo which is resulting in important public facilities having to close down as vacancies from retirements remain unfilled. [24514/13]

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Government has set out an ambitious public service reform plan that aims to transform the quality and cost effectiveness of public services in Ireland. As part of that plan, we are undertaking a steady and managed reduction in public service numbers. There is, however, no wholesale embargo on recruitment. There is significant recruitment in targeted priority areas such as health and education.

The Government is, sensibly, taking a measured and prudent approach in order to mitigate the potential disadvantages of reduced staffing levels.

To this end, the numbers reduction policy takes account of priority areas, by allowing for replacement of key staff especially in the education sector and in key areas of health; gives sectoral and local management discretion in exactly how staff resources are allocated within an area; provides a framework for redeployment of staff across the public service; and includes introducing new streamlined services such as shared services, which allow functions to be maintained and indeed enhanced with reduced staff levels and at a lower cost.

Reform of the public service is necessary both because we need to reduce costs given our serious fiscal position, and because the quality of public services for the citizen needs to be continually improved and value-for-money for the taxpayer protected. The Government's reform plan is comprehensive and ambitious. It captures a wide range of reform projects, including ICT infrastructure projects to support enhanced automation, better on-line services and shared payroll and HR services; change management projects to support more effective work practices, redeployment, rostering and manpower planning; organisation restructuring, involving mergers of previously separate State bodies and of divisions and work areas within organisations.

These reform projects will allow the public service to function more efficiently and more cost effectively over the medium term. Crucially, they are facilitating the delivery of services while making headcount reduction.

4:40 pm

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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The Minister has given the impression that the system is quite flexible, that there is not an outright ban and that services can be delivered. He said that areas such as education and health are prioritised, does this mean that local authorities are prevented from recruiting people? In my area Fingal County Council has to reduce library hours significantly because on the one hand, it needs to open a new library in Donabate and on the other, several librarians have retired. The net impact is that the local authority has said that it cannot open the new facility unless it cuts hours in all the surrounding ones. This is a vital community service. In Rush, according to the census there are 9,000 people and over 6,500 are members of the library. There were 400 events there last year but now the library hours are being slashed. The Minister's party colleagues on the council took the unusual step of directing the County Manager to overturn this decision to reduce library hours. To do that they need 12 extra librarians to keep it open. What can the Minister's Department do in this case? Could those 12 people be recruited or is the council prevented from recruiting them? The Minister's answer would be very helpful to the people in the area and in illuminating the overall situation.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I cannot answer a particular question like that because I cannot micro-manage the 300,000 employees across the State agencies, the local government sector and each Department. There is an employment control framework and there is flexibility within the framework devolved within councils or Departments. I do not want to pretend that there is no pressure. There is pressure as we are reducing numbers because we must reduce the pay bill. There are no compulsory redundancies and we have maintained that policy to date. Some services will be affected. I do not want to pretend that is not a fact because we are in an economic crisis. Unfortunately we cannot afford all the services I would love to be able to provide. I am not in a position to speak about the local library the Deputy mentioned.

I regard the library service as a flagship for the State. When I was a member of Wexford County Council that was the only committee of which I wanted to be a member because I think libraries are very important to the community. On foot of this discussion I will ask my Department to contact Fingal County Council about this but I cannot give any succour or support to the Deputy about what flexibility might be available.

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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I know the Minister does not know the detail but theoretically is there anything to stop the local authority from taking on 12 people? Is there a ban in place, stopping the authority from recruiting 12 people? The Minister says it must be done within a cost framework but assuming these savings were made elsewhere could the embargo be lifted to provide librarians? Librarians have a particular skill and they are required in order to keep the facility open. Is there anything blocking that if the savings could be found elsewhere? I have lots of problems with the big picture but I would like an answer on that local example for now.

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am at two removes from this, first because it concerns the local authority and second because that is the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. There is an employment control framework which sets a headcount local authorities are not allowed to exceed. There is flexibility within that but I do not know the details and what flexibility applies at local level. The Deputy might talk to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government about this matter. I will ask my Department to make contact with Fingal County Council.