Written answers

Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Public Appointments Service

Photo of Peadar TóibínPeadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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374. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he is taking to address capacity issues at the Public Appointments Service. [24581/17]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Public Appointments Service (PAS) undertakes recruitment and resourcing services across the civil and wider public service as provided for under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004. The posts that come directly under the remit of the PAS under the Act include all civil service positions (with a few listed exceptions), certain posts in An Garda Síochána, posts previously handled by the Local Appointments Commission and certain HSE posts.

Since the easing of the moratorium on recruitment across the public service the levels of recruitment activity the PAS is required to oversee has increased  significantly. This has resulted in capacity issues for the PAS which are being addressed on an ongoing basis through the provision of additional funding and staffing resources.  In 2014 the level of funding provided to the PAS was €6.757 million, it had a staffing complement of 92 whole time equivalents, and made 3,304 assignments. By 2016 the PAS estimate had increased to €9.650 million, its staffing complement had increased to 145 whole time equivalents, and the number of assignments made totalled 7,940 by the end of that year. The 2017 allocation for the PAS has been further increased to €10.380 million and a further €1 million has been provided for the commencement of upgrading work on its critical IT platform in the light of the evolving technology landscape.

My Department will continue to work with the PAS to provide the necessary support and assistance it requires to continue to fulfil its remit and ensure that we continue to attract and engage high quality candidates to the Irish public service.

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