David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 824: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the staff vacancies that exist in his Department; the areas where these vacancies occur; his plans to fill such vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2467/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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The number of posts filled in my Department at present is 4,281. This is 96 posts higher than the Department's authorised number of core posts as set under the Government policy on public service numbers. The filling of posts, where they fall vacant, is considered in the context of the overall excess on sanctioned numbers, but taking account of the needs of the service.

The present position is that the Department is currently working on the filling of a number of posts in local offices and other areas. The fact that the Department is heavily decentralised and localised, and is in the process of further decentralisation, presents particular challenges for the management of this process.