Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

265. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total number of additional staff to be taken on in all individual State agencies and bodies under his aegis in 2017, including Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the National Milk Agency, Teagasc and the Marine Institute; the total cost of hiring additional staff in each individual State agency or body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2446/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The staffing arrangements for State Agencies are, subject to an overall policy framework, an operational matter for those agencies.

In the case of Bord Bia, the National Milk Agency, Teagasc, The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and the Marine Institute, sanction to recruit permanent staff up to Principal Officer level has, subject to an upper limit on expenditure on pay, been delegated to the agencies themselves, to afford them a measure of flexibility in filling critical vacancies.

Any proposals to exceed the sanctioned pay limits, would require the specific sanction of my Department. In other cases the recruitment of staff must be sanctioned on a case by case basis, while in commercial State Agencies the staffing arrangements are subject to the exigencies of the business.

I have requested the relevant Agencies to respond directly to the Deputy on the specific information requested.