Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Finance the impact to date in 2009 of the embargo on public service recruitment on public service numbers; the number of persons who have left the public service by retirement or otherwise; and the number of positions where replacement was permitted. [33233/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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At the end of March 2009, the Government introduced a moratorium on public service recruitment and promotion. I allowed for certain exceptions in the Education and Health Sectors for the filling of certain key posts as well as the Local Authorities for requests that related to fire, health and safety, Interreg and beach wardens for whom a more general sanction was given.

Based on the information returned to my Department, the number of persons in the public service has decreased by 1,385 between end-March and end-June of this year. It should be noted that this does not include the numbers employed in the Non-Commercial Agencies as officials are currently collecting this information.

With regard to applications for exemptions under the moratorium, the information available indicates that, to date, the Department of Finance has received approximately 1,237 written applications for the filling of specific posts comprehended by the moratorium, of which the filling of 502 has been sanctioned. Civil Service full-time posts accounted for 328 applications and sanction was conveyed in 158 cases. The main areas of exemption were the prison service, educational psychologists and social welfare staff. Applications for the filling of Public Service posts accounted for some 909 posts and sanction was conveyed in 344 cases. The main areas of exemption were in the Department Education and Science (renewal of secondment of teachers to Education Services) and the Department of Health and Children (mental health nurses).