Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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645. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that the trade unions representing staff of Sligo County Council have indicated a wish to see a fair and negotiated resolution in respect of the regularisation of acting posts in the council; that the unions have stated acting posts should be regularised by confined competition and that all posts of senior executive officer and above should be filled by the Public Appointments Service; if his Department will request local authorities to ensure that acting posts are regularised by confined competition and that all posts of senior executive officer and above will be filled by the Public Appointments Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15629/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisation arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. Within each local authority, management have engaged in a workforce planning exercise and whilst this has been finalised in a number of local authorities there continues to be on-going engagement in relation to a number of other local authorities.

My Department is committed to examining the regularisation of long-term acting positions in the context of workforce planning.

With regard to the filling of posts of Senior Executive Officer and above, agreement is in place at national level with trade unions and if there is a requirement to fill such posts in Sligo County Council it will be carried out in accordance with the procedures applying to the sector as a whole.