Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 398: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost to the Exchequer for the provision of agency staff in her Department or State agencies under her aegis. [36674/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I understand the Deputy's question relates to staff who are employed through employment agencies. My Department has limited sanction to recruit temporary clerical staff to cover absences of permanent staff on maternity leave, long-term sick leave or other statutory leave and also to provide cover for some staff availing of the shorter working year scheme. Temporary staff members are also recruited to alleviate work pressure in certain areas. As the Department's temporary staff are recruited from panels which are established by the Public Appointments Service, my Department does not avail of the services of outside employment agencies. The State agencies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of the Department. The Pensions Board uses the services of an employment agency to provide temporary cover in respect of absences of the receptionist and personal assistant. However, there is no cost to the Exchequer as the operations of the Pensions Board are almost exclusively financed by the annual fees payable to it through occupational pension schemes and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts. The Citizens Information Board uses the services of an employment agency to provide cover in respect of absences of the receptionist. The costs involved in 2011 were €6,087 and €2,546 to date in 2012. The Office of the Pensions Ombudsman does not use the services of an employment agency.