Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

730. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views that staff shortages in local authorities are a contributing factor to the small number of part VIIIs that have been agreed across all the local authorities. [34639/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am not aware of any specific issues regarding the progression of local authority own development projects under the Part 8 provisions of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, due to staffing matters. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. My Department examines all staffing sanction requests on a case by case basis having due regard to the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests, public safety, maintaining key front line services and economic considerations are given precedence. To date in 2015, my Department has received 44 sanction requests from local authorities for the recruitment of planners, ranging from Assistant Planner to Senior Planner, including permanent, contract and acting posts. So far this year, my Department has sanctioned 40 of these posts.

My Department works closely with local authorities with regard to the implementation of the Government's Social Housing Strategyand all have been invited to submit staffing sanction requests to facilitate its delivery. To date in 2015, my Department has received and approved in excess of 200 housing related staffing requests. Arrangements for funding posts related to housing capital projects are being finalised and details will issue to local authorities shortly.