Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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197. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will make agency staff in the public sector permanent staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43891/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching responsibility for recruitment to the Civil Service. All such recruitment is governed by the Public Service (Management and Recruitment) Act 2004. Under the Act, the only method of appointment to a Civil Service post - either permanent or fixed-term - is as result of being successful in a competition run by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) or by another licence holder such as the head of a Department or Office. Selection processes are open to all eligible applicants who meet minimum entry criteria. 

Agency staff are used for the provision of certain services in the public service such as, for example, facilities management or to meet demands in particular areas such as the health sector. The use of agency staff is decided upon by individual organisations in the context of business needs in order to deliver the public services for which they are responsible.  In particular circumstances, labour market conditions in some sectors may be such that it is not possible to meet workforce needs other than through the use of agency personnel.  

There are no plans to make such agency staff permanent staff which, in any event, could not be undertaken other than in accordance with the legal framework for recruitment into the public service as I have set out above.