Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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826. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs his plans to recruit staff when his Department was first announced; the number of new staff recruited; the number of vacancies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32808/14]

James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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My Department was newly established in June 2011. It brought together functions and staff from the Departments of Health, Justice, Education and Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs. When the amalgamation of all was complete in January 2012 the staffing complement in my Department was 132.19 whole time equivalents.

In accordance with the moratorium on Recruitment and Promotions in the Public Service introduced on 27th March 2009, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has the authority for the filling of some vacancies in the Public Service in exceptional circumstances. Accordingly, posts are only classified as a vacancy when sanction has been received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. At the end of 2013 my Department received sanction to fill 4 Principal Officer posts, an Assistant Secretary post and a Director post.

At the end of June 2014 the whole time equivalent in my Department was 145.79. Increases occurred due to the appointment of 6 staff mentioned above, the return of 3 seconded staff from other bodies at the end of their secondment period and also the return of 2 staff from career break which commenced prior to June 2011. Between January 2012 and June 2014 a number of retirements took place. My Department has also recruited a number of temporary clerical officers for between 8 and 12 weeks over the summer period.