Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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138. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will set out the history of the moratorium on public sector recruitment, particularly pertaining to local authorities, including details of the circumstances where the moratorium has been lifted. [10943/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The current moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service was  introduced in 2009, as part of the response to the fiscal and economic crisis.    Since then, and in tandem with annual headcount targets set for each area of the public service under the Employment Control Framework, the Moratorium has been applied across the entire public service.  Together, these two policy tools have played an important part in helping to bring the cost base of the public service into line with what the State can afford.  They have also served to drive unprecedent reform across the public service in terms of how services are delivered.  Nonetheless while overall serving public service numbers have reduced by ten percent since 2009, under the Moratorium the Government has also allowed critical posts to be filled, where they have arisen, in order to protect frontline and priority services. It is also worth noting that within the overall Employment Control Framework, each Government Department retains flexibility and discretion on exactly how staff resources are allocated in line with priorities.

Regarding local government, the day-to-day management of the Moratorium  in respect of local authorities is a matter, in the first instance, for the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government.  The latest figures show that local authorities numbers have reduced by just under 7,500 over the last five years, but along with this there has been recruitment into key posts and service areas.  There has also been signficant reform and organisational restructuring, with more on the horizon, which is delivering a leaner, more efficient local government sector.  The plans for further reform in the local government sector are outlined in the Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016. Details about exceptions to the Moratorium are being compiled and I will have these forwarded to the Deputy directly.