Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

249. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is no civil engineer working on the north and mid Shannon for Waterways Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42934/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I have been informed by Waterways Ireland that it has a full complement of Civil Engineering staff working on the North and Mid Shannon navigations.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

250. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the recent job advertisement on a website (details supplied) in which ten positions were advertised; the reason only one position was available here in view of the fact that in the lower Shannon area there are six unfilled posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42935/17]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

251. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is deep upset amongst workers of Waterways Ireland with regard to the fact they are of the view that the apportionionality of positions between Enniskillen and here do not appear to be balanced between both jurisdictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42951/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together.

I am informed by Waterways Ireland that it undertakes recruitment campaigns throughout the year when required. The recent job advertisement seeking to fill ten positions was part of Waterways Ireland’s ongoing recruitment to vacant positions in 2017. On that occasion one of the positions was located in Ireland with the rest located in the North.

I have also been advised by Waterways Ireland that in 2017 to date, there have been fifty nine permanent and temporary posts recruited. Of these, twelve posts were in Northern Ireland and forty seven posts were in Ireland.

In 2016 there were thirty nine permanent and temporary posts recruited, five of these were in Northern Ireland and thirty four posts were in Ireland.

Approximately 25% of Waterways Ireland’s current workforce is based in Northern Ireland, where its Headquarters and central functions are located.

There is no basis therefore to support any inference that Waterways Ireland is geographically disproportionate in filling posts.