David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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230. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional public sector staff hired in his Department over and above those who had retired or left the service, that is, new positions only as and from 31 December 2010, broken down for each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20141/16]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new public sector workers in his Department hired to replace retiring staff and those who left the Department in each of the years 2013 to 2015; the overall percentage of staff turnover this represents; the cost or savings in payroll and pensions accrued, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20150/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 230 and 231 together.

In 2009 the Government introduced a moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the Civil & Public service in order to reduce staff numbers and generate a saving on the cost of staff payrolls. Under the terms of the moratorium it was not possible to fill a post however it arose, unless a Government Department could present a case to the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform that a particular post was essential.

At this Department the Schools Inspectorate Division experienced a significant number of retirements and a case was presented to DPER and it authorised a limited number of promotions and recruitment as it was evident that this was essential in order to maintain an effective school inspection service.

Government decided that the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) should be expanded in order that it was in a position to provide its services nationwide and addition recruitment to the Service was authorised.

Due to the conditions of the moratorium there is no direct correlation between retirements, resignations and appointments. The following link is to tabular statements on the grades and the number of whole time equivalent positions at the Department as at the 31st December together with the number of retirements/resignations he requested and details of the pay cost out turn for the respective years.