Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 442: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she is satisfied that she and her Department have sufficient staff to meet their on-going responsibilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33667/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department is currently engaged in a Workforce Planning exercise to compare our current workforce with future workforce requirement relative to the delivery of commitments under the Programme for Government and other strategic objectives of the Department. This exercise is examining how best to have the right people with the right knowledge, skills and competencies deployed appropriately. It is taking account of all managed movement into, around, and out of the Department including retirement, recruitment, promotion, secondment, transfers and redeployment opportunities.

As part of this process, specific skills in the area of legal, financial, research, economic, change management and human resources have already been identified as requiring development. Officials of my Department are in discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in this regard with a view to addressing this requirement from within approved numbers and within the overall existing Vote provision for my Department.