Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of staff who have been employed in 2008 specifically to administer the early retirement scheme and the installation aid for young farmers; the number of these who will not be required to work in his Department as a result of the removal of the two schemes; his plans to redistribute these staff within his Department; his plans to redistribute these to other Government Departments; his plans to offer early retirement to these staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37426/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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There are some 52 staff in my Department engaged in administering the Early Retirement and Young Farmers' Installation Schemes. My Department has reduced staff numbers by over 500 staff in the last four years and has redeployed another 500 from declining and discontinued schemes to new areas of work. Furthermore, my Department is committed to reducing overall numbers by another 250 to reach a staffing complement of 3,974 by the end of 2010. Staffing requirements in all areas, including the Early Retirement and Young Farmers' Installation Schemes, will continue to be actively reviewed on an ongoing basis in my Department to achieve the required reduction. The Department is satisfied it can, as in the past, achieve this target through natural wastage and by redeployment to other Government Departments.