Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 552: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, having regard to the exercise of his statutory authority under section 71 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, and the necessity for the Ombudsman Commission to deploy its resources efficiently, the number of officers at principal officer level or technical equivalent approved by him for appointment to the Ombudsman Commission, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, whether under the Dublin PAS list system for offices decentralising or not; the number of officers at all grades appointed under the PAS list system; the date of such approval in each case; the date of subsequent appointment; the number of such posts suppressed by the commission; if he has been informed of and, or, statutorily approved any such suppression; the reasons for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4706/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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It is assumed that the Deputy's reference to the Dublin Pas List System is intended to be a reference to the Dublin Central Applications Facility (CAF). I can say, however, that a maximum figure of 4 posts at Principal Officer level or technical equivalent have been sanctioned for the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. The following table sets out the numbers, grades and date of appointment of all officers appointed to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission under the CAF. These posts were sanctioned by the Department of Finance on the 17th July 2006.

The filling of sanctioned vacancies is handled at official level and I do not involve myself in such matters. Furthermore, It is important to note that while sanction is required in order to fill posts, it is not a function of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to require an organisation with statutory independence to ensure that all of its sanctioned posts are filled to the maximum extent authorised level at all times. Management has a discretion to fill sanctioned posts according to its business needs so as to ensure that such decisions reflect the most up to date business requirements.