Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 162: To ask the Minister for Finance if the number of people employed in the public service has increased or decreased since budget 2009; if so, the amount regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29744/09]

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Finance if the number of people employed in the public service has increased or decreased since the 7 April 2009 supplementary budget; if so, the number regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29745/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together.

The public service is composed of the civil service, the education sector, the justice sector, the health sector, the local authorities and the non-commercial agencies. While numbers for some areas within the public service are collected on a monthly basis, numbers for other areas are collected on a quarterly basis, and these are currently being collated.

However, based on information available to my Department, there was a net decline of 427 in the numbers of staff employed on a whole time equivalent (w.t.e.) basis in the public service between September/October 2008 and March/April 2009, excluding the non-commercial agencies. In particular, the numbers employed in the local authorities fell by 1,686, in the civil service by 484, in the defence sector by 225 and the justice sector by 65. These decreases were offset by increases in the numbers employed in the education sector of 1,219 and the health sector of 814.

In those areas of the public service where information is available for the period March/April 2009 and May 2009, there has been a net decrease in the numbers employed of 75 w.t.e. In particular, the numbers employed in the civil service have decreased by 102 (giving an overall net reduction for the civil service of 586 w.t.e. since September/October 2008), the defence sector decreased by 21 (giving an overall net reduction for the defence sector of 246 w.t.e), while the numbers employed in the justice sector increased by 48 (giving a net reduction for the justice sector of 17 w.t.e.).

Finally, in overall terms, based on the information currently available, between September/October 2008 and May 2009, there has been a net reduction in the numbers of staff employed in the public service of 502 w.t.e., as illustrated in the following table.

Public Service Numbers – Whole Time Equivalents

Public Service Numbers – Whole Time Equivalents* As reported for March/April 2009

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Finance if the average wage of persons employed in the public service has increased or decreased since budget 2009; if so, the figures regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29746/09]

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Finance if the average wage of persons employed in the public service has increased or decreased since the 7 April 2009 supplementary budget; if so, the amount regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29747/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 164 and 165 together.

Neither Budget 2009 nor the Supplementary Budget of 7 April 2009 made any changes in the gross salaries of public servants. However, the introduction of the new pension-related deduction has resulted in an average deduction of close to 7%.