Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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47. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his recruitment plans for the next five years across the State’s 31 local authorities. [18500/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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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. In this regard, it is a matter for each individual Chief Executive to recruit and assign staff to specific divisions. My Department works closely with all local authorities to ensure 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 issues are given precedence.

My Department will continue to support all local authorities, to ensure that they are adequately staffed to carry out their functions and to provide the required services to the public, over the next five years.