Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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138. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her plans to provide funding for the appointment of two additional full time senior laboratory analysts for the Office of State Pathologist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21768/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The staffing requirements for my Department, including associated offices and agencies, are assessed and prioritised through the workforce planning process and aligned to the annual estimates process.

Through last year’s workforce planning process, the Office of the State Pathologist identified one senior laboratory analyst vacancy in 2017 and this post was filled in January. The workforce plan indicated the potential for one laboratory analyst vacancy in 2018.

However, the process is not static and there is ongoing engagement with senior managers across the Department in relation to their staffing requirements as pressures and priorities may require that plans are amended. Funding for additional posts not identified through the workforce planning process is considered with reference to the Department’s overall current pay budget.