Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

150. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if she has satisfied herself with the rate of recruitment of State agency staff for Brexit related issues; the reason less than one third of Brexit specific posts have been filled in Enterprise Ireland; if barriers have been identified to the recruitment of persons in State agencies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26557/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, an additional €3 million was secured in respect of Pay in Budget 2017 and is being targeted specifically to assist in our response to the evolving Brexit scenario. It is enabling the Department and, primarily, our Agencies recruit some 40 to 50 additional staff to supplement existing staffing numbers.  These numbers may grow as Agencies allocate additional Own Resource Income, by agreement with the Department, to recruit further staff to work on "Brexit-related" activity. 

The additional €3m has been allocated across

- Enterprise Ireland (€1,700,000)

- IDA Ireland (€750,000)

- Science Foundation Ireland (€150,000)

- The Health and Safety Authority (€150,000), and

- The Department itself (€250,000).

In relation to the rate of recruitment of staff for Brexit related issues within the State Agencies listed above, the current position is set out for each below. The remaining Agencies that come under the remit of my Department – the National Standards Authority of Ireland, The Personal Injuries Assessment Board, The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and The Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority – are not at this time recruiting any additional staff specifically for Brexit related issues.

In relation to Enterprise Ireland, 12 posts have been filled to date and a further 19 have been advertised with the recruitment process ongoing. The remaining 8 job specifications are being finalised with a view to advertising them in the immediate future.  Enterprise Ireland are confident that they have partnered with the most appropriate recruitment agencies around the world and in Ireland, and consider that this will support them in the identification of high calibre candidates, increasing the speed of filling the outstanding posts.

Insofar as IDA Ireland is concerned, three Brexit related posts have been filled to date and the recruitment process for the remaining seven is ongoing.  IDA Ireland has undertaken a rigorous recruitment process across a wide variety of channels to ensure that the best candidates are identified for these roles, and the Agency will make the remaining Brexit appointments at the earliest possible opportunity.

Additionally, IDA Ireland has sought a further 21 staff resources in order that it can meet the jobs and investment targets set out in its Strategy – “Winning Foreign Direct Investment 2015 – 2019” - and to meet the global challenges of 2017 and beyond, with Brexit key among the identified challenges.  My Department is pursing this matter separately.

In respect of Science Foundation Ireland, the recruitment process to fill three Brexit related posts is currently underway and successful candidates are expected to be in place in the coming months.  Furthermore, a number of current SFI staff also have Brexit related responsibilities.  SFI has an internal Brexit team led by one of its Senior Directors which focuses on Brexit related initiatives including, for example, direct engagement with UK colleagues in exploring and drafting potential joint schemes with the UK.  

The Health and Safety Authority's recruitment planning is currently underway and the HSA hopes to be in a position to commence the process of recruitment in July for two Brexit related posts.

I am, of course, eager to see the remaining additional resources recruited as quickly as possible. However, it should be borne in mind that recruitment is being undertaken by the Agencies within a highly competitive labour market and in this context I am satisfied that appropriate efforts are currently being made by the Agencies to recruit these additional resources.

It must also be borne in mind that all these Agencies will have prioritised the Brexit implications arising for them in their individual work plans for 2017 and beyond, which serving staff will contribute to as part of their day-to-day work.