Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 117: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of additional staff he intends to recruit to his Department; the estimated cost of staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30701/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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My Department must operate within the multi-annual Employment Control Framework (ECF) as agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The ECF places annual limits on the number of full time equivalent staff which may be employed within the Department.

Currently the Department has some headroom as between the existing complement and the ECF and the ECF limit. It is, therefore, proposed to appoint some additional staff, within the ECF limit, between now and year end.

In specific terms, my Department will shortly appoint two economists and is in the process of filling three senior technical positions in the Natural Resources Division of the Department. The estimated salary cost of filling these vacancies is €370,000 per annum and this will be met in 2012 from the approved Vote allocation for the Department.

Any decision to fill additional positions will be considered in the context of the Workforce Planning exercise which is expected to be completed shortly and continued adherence to the provisions of the Employment Control Framework.