Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of staff employed by the public service by ministerial Vote group for each year 2002 to 2009; his estimate of the number that will be employed in 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27087/10]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of staff employed by grade for each year 2002 to 2009 in the civil service, State agencies, and in local government; his estimate of the numbers that will be employed by grade in 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27088/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 88 together.

In 2009, my Department introduced a new system for the monitoring of Public Service Numbers. This system builds on existing systems where possible, including the Civil Service Staff Information Portal (CSSIP). The Public Service Numbers System uses December 2008 as its base and it records information on a quarterly basis.

In the context of Budget 2010, the Government also decided to move to a new, more rigorous approach to controlling public service numbers, centring upon the establishment of agreed annual numbers ceilings, to be managed in accordance with Employment Control Frameworks for each Ministerial Vote Group. The relevant numbers information is set out in Table 1 together with the end-2008 figures. The Ministerial Vote Group ceilings for 2010 and 2011 are subject to technical amendments and further Government consideration in certain cases and are, as always, subject to any future Government policy decisions and priorities in regard to public service provision.

For the period 2002 to 2009, aggregate information is available on a Departmental basis for non-industrial civil servants and on a functional classification basis in respect of the defence sector, the education sector, the health sector, the justice sector, local authorities and non-commercial semi-State bodies (NCSSBs), which fall within the aegis of the various other sectors. Table 2 sets out the public service numbers by functional classification for the period 2002-2009 and again includes the 2010 and 2011 ECF ceilings. Table 3 sets out the Departmental breakdown of non-industrial civil servants for the period 2002 to 2009. The figures for end March 2010 are also included.

Table 4 sets out the non-industrial civil servants by grade for the period 2002 to 2009. The figures for end March 2010 are also included. A grade breakdown is not available for other sectors on a similar basis, given the heterogeneity of grading of grading and responsibilities involved, and the fact that responsibility for managing staffing issues in these areas lies with other Departments (e.g. staffing of Local Authorities is primarily a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government). Under the new Public Service Numbers Policy adopted by the Government in the context of Budget 2010, the distribution of staff by grade is a matter for each Vote Group to manage in line with their needs and priorities, subject to overall staff ceilings and other constraints set out in ECFs.

Table 1 – Ministerial Vote Group Numbers end-year 2008 and 2009 plus 2010 and 2011 Ceilings (WTEs)

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Table 2 – Public Service Numbers end-year 2002-2009 plus 2010 and 2011 Ceilings (WTEs)

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Table 3 – Non-industrial Civil Servants by Department/Office end-year 2002 – 2009 plus end-March 2010

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Table 4 – Non-industrial Civil Servants by Grade end-year 2002 – 2009 plus end-March 2010

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Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for Finance the action he has taken to reduce the numbers employed in the public service since 2008; the further management measures he will introduce in this respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27089/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I introduced a number of measures in the course of 2009 that have secured significant reductions in public service numbers since the end of 2008. The first was the introduction of the moratorium on recruitment and promotion at the end of March 2009. This measure has succeeded in ensuring that most of the natural turnover in staff has resulted in reductions in staff numbers, and has underpinned the focus upon greater efficiencies and restructuring of operations across the public service.

In addition to this measure, I introduced two further measures to allow for targeted reductions in staff numbers. The Incentive Scheme for Early Retirement (ISER) and the Special Incentive Career Break Scheme were launched at the end of April 2009 with initial deadlines of 1 September 2009 and 1 July 2009 respectively. The deadline for the ISER was subsequently extended until 16 October 2009. Both Schemes incorporated a strict non-replacement rule.

The overall effect of these measures has been a significant reduction in staff numbers in the civil and public service. Based on the information supplied to my Department, staff numbers have been reduced by around 10,000 between the end of 2008, when the numbers stood at 319,092, and the end of March this year, at 309,106. These estimates, which are on a whole-time equivalent (WTE) basis, are subject to revision. In the context of Budget 2010, the Government also decided to move to a new, more rigorous approach to controlling public service numbers, centring upon the establishment of agreed annual numbers ceilings, to be managed in accordance with Employment Control Frameworks for each Ministerial Vote Group. Employment Control Frameworks work by setting ceilings on the level of staff, on a WTE basis, that each Vote Group can have at the end of 2010, 2011 and 2012. These ceilings are set out in the table below.

**PLEASE INSERT TABLE FROM EMAIL HERE**

The precise ceilings in each area are subject to technical amendments and further Government consideration in certain cases and are, as always, subject to any future Government policy decisions and priorities in regard to public service provision.