Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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632. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he expects recruitment in specific vital areas of the public sector to become a policy initiative in the future, especially in areas such as counties Sligo and Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13351/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching policy responsibility for workforce planning in the Civil Service, including recruitment.

The initiation of a recruitment campaign for any particular civil service grade is determined by such factors as identified workforce planning requirements and the need to establish priorities for targeted recruitment into the civil service to meet specific service and skill needs.

As the Deputy will recall in Budget 2015, it was announced that there would be a targeted programme of recruitment into the Civil Service to address service needs and a shortfall in key skills

A number of open graduate recruitment campaigns have been held in late 2015 and 2016.

I understand from the Public Appointments Service, who are the independent recruiter for the civil service, that the following appointments have been made to the Sligo, Leitrim and Longford areas since 2014:

Further consideration will be given throughout 2017 to resourcing and staffing needs for the Civil Service.

Recruitment plans for the public service more generally are a matter, in the first instance, for the Minister with responsibility for each of the relevant sectors of the public service.