Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the staffing limits his Department has placed on each local authority; and if it is intended to review the local government staffing embargo for developing areas. [16258/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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In December 2002, the Government decided to cap public service numbers at the existing authorised level and to reduce numbers by 5,000 across all sectors by end 2005. Numbers in the local authorities are to be reduced by 1,000 over that period.

Local authorities were informed of the reduction required in the overall local government sector over the three year period 2003 to 2005 and the overall position is monitored on a quarterly basis. The latest quarter employment number, expressed in wholetime equivalents, at 31 March 2005 was 33,451, which represents a reduction of 849 since 2002.

I am keeping the overall position under review having regard to the employment demands in each local authority.