Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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252. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public servants now employed; the number of vacancies in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37811/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As of the end of the second quarter of 2017, based on the information provided to my Department overall public service employment was 311,215 in Full-Time Equivalence terms. As the Deputy may be aware, in Budget 2015, the Moratorium on Recruitment and Promotion was formally ended and the Employment Control Framework was replaced by a new Delegated Sanction Arrangement in most Government Departments and Offices. Under the new delegated arrangement, each Government Department and Office is given a fixed multi-annual pay ceiling and, subject to compliance with Workforce Planning requirements and some restrictions related to senior appointments, has had delegated authority to determine staffing needs and fill vacancies once they remain within their pay ceiling. Departments can also implement similar cascade arrangements with agencies or bodies under their aegis.  The information requested by the Deputy in relation to vacancies in the public service is not, therefore, held centrally by my Department.  The Delegated Sanction Arrangements now in place are intended to enable a more responsive approach in public bodies to the management of their human resources, in particular frontline personnel, in responding to service needs.