Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 266: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of staff employed in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal, respectively; the number of vacant posts in each agency; the steps being taken to fill vacant posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20079/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The total number of whole-time equivalent staff serving in my Department and its agencies is 2,256. This figure includes the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, which itself encompasses the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. My Department is required by a Government Decision of December 2002 to operate within overall staffing limits that apply across the entire Justice sector. Staff assignments to the Immigration area are dealt with in the same manner to that which obtains in all other areas of my Department; resources — including staffing resources — are deployed to it subject to availability, maintaining overall staffing numbers, and consistent with resourcing the many other priority areas of my Department.