Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 703: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to lift the cap on local authority staffing levels in Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24055/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The cap on local authority staffing levels results from a Government decision in December 2002 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.

I have received no proposals from Galway City Council or Galway County Council regarding lifting the cap on local authority staffing levels. However, I am keeping the overall position under review having regard to the employment demands in each local authority.