Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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120. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding staff shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38007/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that staffing levels across all divisions in my Department are kept under regular review in line with emerging business needs as part of the Department's workforce planning process. When posts become vacant for any reason, they are not treated in isolation as vacancies to be automatically filled. Instead, the continuing requirement for such vacant posts is critically examined as part of my Department's workforce planning process, taking account of the financial resources that are available to meet pay costs and having regard to other current staffing priorities in the context of Government policy on public sector pay and staffing, as advised by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

In line with this approach, my Department is currently creating panels through open competitions for a number of posts, including Head and Craft Gardeners, General Operative and Conservation Rangers. I expect that appointments will be made from these panels during 2017.