Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 685: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost to the Exchequer for the provision of agency staff in her Department or State agencies under her aegis. [36663/12]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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I presume the Deputy is enquiring about the use of agency staff to meet a short-term service need or where some flexibility in staffing a service is required. In that regard, I can confirm that my Department, the Adoption Authority of Ireland, the Family Support Agency and the Children's Detention Schools do not presently engage such services.

There are 4 agency staff employed by the National Educational Welfare Board on a short term basis every quarter for school return data entry purposes. The cost of this from January to June of this year was €38,341.

I understand that the Office of the Ombudsman for Children will provide the information directly to the Deputy.