Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 729: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of staff employed currently in his Department; the number who currently have no office space or workstation; the number who must remain away from work as a result; if he will provide the information in tabular readable form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27320/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently 1397 staff in my Department, of whom 1373 are facilitated with appropriate office accommodation. There are 24 non administrative staff (inspectors/psychologists) whose primary function is to visit schools and who work from home. These staff are provided with appropriate I.T. equipment in order to carry out their functions. I have consulted the Personnel Section of my Department and I understand there are no officials absent from work due to not having access to office accommodation.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 730: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his plans for recruiting clerical staff in the Louth, Meath and Cavan areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27354/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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A Regional Office of my Department is based in Navan, Co Meath and local offices of the National Educational Psychological Service are based in Navan and in Drogheda, Co. Louth. There are no offices of my Department located in Cavan.

In most cases recruitment to vacancies arising in clerical posts in these offices is done initially by way of internal application from Clerical Officers within my Department who wish to relocate to these offices. Any vacancy which is not filled by this process is then filled by reference to the agreed sequence of Department of Agriculture Surplus, Central Transfer List or Public Appointments Service panel for the location.

There is a central agreement which sets out the sequence for the filling of vacancies which arise when an officer serving in one of these locations transfers to another location specifically under the programme of decentralisation. Where the vacancy arises in this way the sequence for filling is 1. Department of Agriculture Surplus; 2. Central Application Facility (CAF) applicants for the location; and 3. Central Transfer List / Public Appointments Service panel for the location (as appropriate).