Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of local authority staff that have indicated a preference to take early retirement or redundancy by early 2012; the extent to which this is likely to affect the operation of the local authorities.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24360/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Early retirement is obviously a matter for each individual employee and employer to decide. It is not possible to give definitive or estimated figures at this time having regard to the period to early 2012. Reductions in staff are being managed by local authorities having regard to a range of factors including the exit dates of the staff concerned, the need to reduce public service numbers overall and the requirement to maintain key services.

There has obviously been an impact on local authorities due to the reduction in staff by circa 6,500 or 18% since 2008. However, the impact in terms of front line services has been minimised through re-structuring and the re-allocation of work combined with the approval of sanctions for exceptions to the staffing moratorium by my Department. Furthermore, some local authority business areas have declined due to the economic downturn allowing administrative staff to be assigned to other duties. My Department maintains detailed engagement with local authorities on the operation of the employment control framework and having regard to achieving optimum staffing for the delivery of key services within budgetary constraints.