Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with regard to the public service moratorium on recruitment, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the mechanism is leading to failures in the system, such as the effective closure of entire public sector operations or units which are left without the minimum level of staffing; his plans to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28895/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It is unhelpful to Ireland's standing with our international funding partners if Deputies make unjustifiable claims of "failures in the system" when so many people in our public services are striving to deliver a first class service within reduced resources.

The Government has to deliver better value in the public sector in order to reduce the deficit and protect frontline services. Over the last number of years, enhanced numbers monitoring systems and multi-annual employment frameworks have been put in place. These arrangements will be strengthened to ensure that effect is given to Government decisions on public service numbers and will aid public bodies in planning future staffing levels. It is part of the day to day function of the Boards and Management of all public bodies to assess, budget and plan for current and ongoing staffing requirements including the identifying of key posts and services. Ireland is committed under the EU-IMF programme to reducing the overall size of the public service.

Delivering this reduction will require continued implementation of the moratorium on recruitment with exceptions being limited to only essential posts and the utilisation of redeployment as the primary mechanism to fill posts which have been approved. In order to protect frontline services, the Government is committed to making fundamental changes to the way the public service operates. This will inevitably mean changes in the way in which services to the public are delivered, however, I am certainly not aware of any so called catastrophic failures in the system.

In order to protect crucial services exceptions to the Moratorium may be granted on the following basis:

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

b) where failure to fill posts would result in a breach of EU/international regulations and impact upon exports etc.;

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

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

e) to ensure continuity of frontline services.

In the case of the Education and Health Sector a number of grades are exempted from the Moratorium in order to ensure that these vital services are maintained.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with regard to the public service moratorium on recruitment, his views that including maternity leave in the moratorium is explicitly discriminatory; his plans to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28897/11]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The reason for any vacancy (maternity leave, career break, resignation, retirement etc) is not a factor in decisions relating to the Moratorium. It should be noted by the Deputy that a number of exceptions have been granted by my Department to cover maternity leave where the posts in question met the agreed exemption protocols in order to protect crucial services.

Ireland is committed under the EU-IMF programme to reducing the overall size of the public service. Delivering this reduction will require continued implementation of the moratorium on recruitment with exceptions being limited to only essential posts and the utilisation of redeployment as the primary mechanism to fill posts which have been approved. In order to protect frontline services, the Government is committed to making fundamental changes to the way the public service operates.

In order to protect crucial services exceptions to the Moratorium may be granted on the following basis:

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

b) where failure to fill posts would result in a breach of EU/international regulations and impact upon exports etc.;

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

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

e) to ensure continuity of frontline services.

All Government Departments and agencies simply have to deliver better value to the public in order to reduce the deficit and protect frontline services. Over the last number of years, enhanced numbers monitoring systems and multi-annual employment frameworks have been put in place. These arrangements will be strengthened to ensure that effect is given to Government decisions on public service numbers and will aid public bodies in planning future staffing levels.

It is part of the day-to-day function of the Boards and Management of all public bodies to assess, budget and plan for current and ongoing staffing requirements including the identifying of key posts. However, it remains a matter for local agency and parent Department management to decide on operational priorities within the framework of Government policy and resources allocated.