Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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181. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when permanent job vacancies which have arisen in her Department will be filled from the panel which is in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43063/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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My Department, like all Government departments and agencies is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department has involved reductions in staff.

The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to respond to new increasing demands in a wide range of services. This is to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department.

In accordance with relevant Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circulars and guidelines, when a permanent post is approved to be filled, the assignment will be made from either a panel created through a Public Appointment Service competition or from an internal Departmental promotion panel or from the relevant transfer list.