Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of exemptions requested by Departments, local authorities and State agencies to the current moratorium on recruitment and promotion; if he will provide the full details in each such case including the requesting body; the reasons for the request; the number of staff requested and at which grade the staff are requested; the cost of same; if he will provide in detail, his response to each such request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21307/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The moratorium on recruitment and promotion was introduced at the end of March 2009. The moratorium allows for certain general exemptions in the Education and Health Sectors for the filling of certain key posts as well as for the Local Authorities in relation to certain key posts. Information in relation to the posts covered by these general exemptions may be sought from the relevant Ministers.

Departments have been implementing the moratorium in respect of themselves and the bodies under their aegis. However, where a Department feels that a post should be filled, in either the case of a civil service post or in relation to a public service post in a body under the aegis of the Department, it requires the sanction of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an exception to the moratorium. Requests for exceptions are not made in respect of every vacancy.

The attached tables set out exceptions sought to the moratorium on recruitment and promotion in both the Civil and Public Service to date. This information is collected in a standard format and full details are outlined in table 1 and table 2 below. Information is not collected on the cost of individual posts sanctioned.

Each request for an exception is assessed on a case by case basis. Approval to fill posts is based on the business case made including consideration of, for example:

a. statutory posts which have to be filled for legal reasons;

b. in a number of instances failure to fill posts could result in a breach of EU/international regulations etc.;

c. safety related posts where a failure to fill them could leave the state open to potential legal liabilities or for security reasons;

d. some specialist/technical posts which are required to ensure continuity of operations e.g. legal officers; laboratory staff, maritime safety, etc.;

e. to ensure continuity of essential services.

It should be noted that in accordance with the terms of the moratorium, exceptions can only be sought by Government Departments and Offices after all internal possibilities of reassigning staff, reorganising work, etc. have been exhausted.

In addition, as part of the Employment Control Framework 2011-2014 for the Health Sector, the HSE has discretion to fill a limited number of posts on exceptional grounds to support the development of integrated health care and its transformation programme. There must be suppression of posts of equivalent value in non-frontline areas for each new exempted posts or each exception made.

Information on the individual exceptions sought by each Department in respect of Civil Service and Public Service posts is outlined in table 1 and table 2, respectively.

Requests for exemption represent a small part of staff numbers not replaced and such requests will usually only be made by Departments if they feel there is a strong case to be made.

Tables to be inserted

Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 228: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of staff working at the Department of Community, Equality,and Gaeltacht Affairs in Tubbercurry, County Sligo; the number of staff based there in July 2010; and his plans for the future of this office in line with the change of departmental areas following the appointment of Ministers in March 2011. [21268/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In the context of the re-alignment of Government Departments earlier this year, the functions of the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs were transferred to a number of other Departments. The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government received the Community functions which were based in Tubbercurry.

I understand that the total number of staff serving in the then Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in Tubbercurry in July 2010 was 89, of whom 9 transferred with their functions to the Department of Social Protection in August 2010. The number of people currently working in the offices of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in Tubbercurry is 62. In addition, 14 staff of the former Department, representing mainly those who were not working directly on the Community functions, transferred to the Department of Social Protection (of whom 4 remained in Tubbercurry) and to other Government offices in the locality.

The ongoing management of the offices and staff in Tubbercurry is primarily a matter for the Departments concerned, taking account of the Government's overall aim to ensure the efficient use of resources and the effective delivery of public services.