Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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88. To ask the Taoiseach the number of staff currently employed in State agencies and his Department tasked with issues related to Brexit; the number of staff by grade, agency and unit; the number of vacant positions; the average cost by grade and agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50921/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, an additional €3 million was secured for my Department in respect of Pay in Budget 2017 and targeted specifically to assist with increased staffing needs for the Department and a number of our Agencies to deal with the evolving Brexit scenario. These funds are enabling the Department and, primarily, our Agencies to recruit additional staff to supplement existing staffing numbers in the context of the workload associated with Brexit.

The additional €3m was allocated as follows:

- The Department itself (€250,000)

- Enterprise Ireland (€1,700,000)

- IDA Ireland (€750,000)

- Science Foundation Ireland (€150,000)

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

Department

A dedicated Brexit Unit was established in 2016 and is led at Assistant Secretary level within the EU Affairs and Trade Policy Division of my Department. Its main focus is to coordinate and represent the Departmental and Agencies response to Brexit and to support me in my position at the Cabinet Committee dealing with Brexit. The designated official, at Assistant Secretary level, is supported by one Principal (average annual salary cost of €90,591.38 per post), two Assistant Principals with a third to be assigned in December as part of workforce planning (average annual salary cost of €71,884.52 per post), two Higher Executive Officers (average annual salary cost of €57,209.07 per post) and one Clerical Officer (average annual salary cost of €31,011.85 per post).

As the work of very many Business Units is impacted by Brexit, my Department as a whole has prioritised the Brexit challenges across all Divisions and actively keeps this under review. In this regard, it is intended to review the Department's workforce plan (2017-2019) as part of the Department's business planning processes for 2018 where the Brexit Agenda will be a priority.

Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland was given sanction to hire 39 Brexit-related posts to work alongside existing staff within the agency. Of the 39 Brexit-related posts for Enterprise Ireland, 34 have been filled to date and 5 are currently under active recruitment. It is anticipated that the remaining posts will be filled by the end of the year. The average annual salary cost per grade for the 39 posts is €77,687.

IDA Ireland

The IDA received sanction for additional Brexit related-posts and identified 10 client-facing posts and have filled 9 of these to date. Recruitment is underway for the remaining post. The 10 posts are allocated across Operational Teams with 3 Level E posts (average annual salary cost of €65,093 per post), 5 Level D posts (average annual salary cost of €41,472 per post) and 2 Level C posts (average annual salary cost of €23,260 per post).

Science Foundation Ireland

Science Foundation Ireland received sanction to hire Brexit related posts and specific additional resources are being added to functions that are engaged in BREXIT related activity. In this regard one appointment has been made, with a candidate due to commence in November. A second, similar appointment is at contract stage with an anticipated start in January. One further post is anticipated to be filled shortly thereafter. The average annual salary cost per grade for the posts is €65,093.

Science Foundation Ireland continues to examine and prepare for the challenges and opportunities associated with BREXIT. This activity is carried out across all functions of the organisation and is coordinated by an internal BREXIT Working Group which is chaired by a member of the Science Foundation Ireland Executive Committee. Expertise is drawn from across Science Foundation Ireland, with six staff members currently engaged in a significant level of BREXIT related activity. The costs associated with this activity are estimated at €217,000 per annum.

Health and Safety Authority

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) received sanction to fill two Brexit related posts at AP Socio-Economist level (average annual salary cost of approx. €65,000) and at Grade III inspector level (average annual salary cost of €45,000). The recruitment process is in hand.

Recently, a further additional €3 million in respect of Pay has been secured for my Department in Budget 2018, for the purposes of recruiting additional staff resources to further respond to Brexit and help meet the Government plans to double Ireland’s global footprint.

It should also be borne in mind that in addition to specific Brexit-related posts within the Department and its Agencies that have and are being recruited, there are many existing roles and business units impacted by Brexit which are playing a vital part in responding to it.