Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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22. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of full-time equivalent public servants at the end of 2014; the estimated number at the end of 2015 and for 2016, his views on public sector recruitment generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33418/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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For the number of full-time equivalent public servants at end 2014, I would refer the Deputy to the Databank on my Department's website, at , which shows an outturn of 289,643 at end year. For 2015, provision was made in the Budget for just over 292,000 public servants, on an full time equivalent basis. Further information on the departmental breakdown of this provision is set out in the 2015 Revised Estimates, which again is available on my Department's website. With regard to staffing and recruitment levels for 2016, these matters will fall to be considered in the context of Budget 2016.

On the general issues of public service recruitment, there has been a considerable level of recruitment across the public service in 2015, especially in the Health and Education sectors and in An Garda Síochána.  So far this year, 200 Garda Trainees have been recruited, with a further 150 planned to commence before year end.  Over 2,700 new staff have being recruited into the Health sector during the first half of this year, and in the Education sector there will be 900 more teachers, 830 more Special Needs Assistants and 570 more Resource Teachers by the end of this year compared with 2014. 

At the broader policy level, the Deputy will recall that at Budget time last October I also announced an end to the Moratorium on Recruitment and Promotion in the Public Service, to be replaced with new delegated management arrangements to be phased in during 2015 and 2016. These arrangements, which now apply to most Government departments, give managers the means to respond to service needs as they arise, including considerable flexibility to make staffing and service level delivery decisions at the front line. 

These new arrangements represent a significant shift away from the central control of the Moratorium and allow Departments greater management of its staffing resources.