Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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531. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of staff who retired, left or otherwise departed from their employment from 1 July 2013 to 31 December 2013, and the expected annual savings arising therefrom; the number of staff expected to leave in 2014, and the annual expected savings therefrom; the number of staff expected to leave in 2015, and the annual savings therefrom; the number of staff expected to leave in 2016, and the annual savings therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33201/14]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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532. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of new staff employed since 1 July 2013 up to 31 December 2013 and the expected annual costs arising therefrom; the expected number to be employed in 2014 and the estimated annual cost arising therefrom; the expected number to be employed in 2015 and the estimated annual cost arising therefrom; the expected number to be employed in 2016 and the estimated annual cost arising therefrom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33218/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 531 and 532 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, there is a moratorium in place on recruitment across the civil and public service since 2009. Against this backdrop my Department continues to source staff to fill vacancies arising from retirements and transfers through a combination of redeployment, the lateral transfer of staff from other Government Departments and agencies or internal promotion when appropriate. In doing so regard is always had to the Department’s authorised staffing level set out under the Employment Control Framework (ECF) as determined by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

While no new civil servants have been recruited to my Department from outside the public service in the period since 2011, plans are in place to recruit 2 Administrative Officers, one in the final quarter of 2014 and a second in early 2015, from existing competition panels organised by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The estimated salary cost arising from this recruitment is approximately €9,000 in 2014 and €70,000 in 2015.

The table below sets out the number of civil servants from my Department who retired or left the Department and replacement staff engaged since July 2013. It is not possible to say how many staff will retire or leave in 2015 and 2016 other than departures by way of compulsory retirements.