Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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185. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of positions available in his Department for the position of serologists; the number of these positions that are expected to be filled in 2014, 2015 and subsequent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31811/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There is, at present, one vacant Serological Assistant post in my Department. This post is at the Limerick Regional Veterinary Laboratory. It is expected that this post will be filled in 2014. Any further appointments to Serological Assistant posts in subsequent years will be based on assessments of staffing levels in my Department at the time with a view to identifying posts that must be filled so that my Department can continue to deliver services to stakeholders. A Serological Assistant competition is currently being run by the Public Appointments Service which will result in a panel being formed. It is from this panel the current vacancy, and any further vacancies that may arise over the next couple of years, will be filled.