Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 782: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the staffing cap on the provision of local authority services in new areas of population, specifically Dublin 15, where the Government is encouraging intense development of new homes. [29128/05]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 823: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the employment embargo placed upon local authorities will be lifted to enable the employment of staff to administer the rental assistance supplement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29541/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 782 and 823 together.

The cap on local authority staffing levels arises from a Government decision of December 2002 to cap public service numbers at the existing authorised level and to reduce numbers by 5,000 across all sectors by the end of 2005. The number of local authority staff is 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. This requirement is borne in mind when local authorities apply to the Department for the approval of additional posts. The general position is monitored by the Department on a quarterly basis. Each county and city manager is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. The Department is keeping the overall position under review with regard to the employment demands of each local authority.