Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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963. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who have been hired by her Department from the Public Appointments Service panels in counties Sligo and Leitrim in each of the years 2013 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12488/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:

Temporary Staff

Permanent staff

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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964. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of vacant, full and part-time positions in her Department that have been filled by persons on temporary contracts in counties Sligo and Leitrim in each of the years 2013 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12489/18]

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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965. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons in her Department who are on temporary contracts that have been renewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12490/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 964 and 965 together.

Temporary clerical officers (TCOs) are recruited to cover absences of permanent staff on maternity leave, long term sick leave, and other statutory leave and also to provide cover for some staff availing of the shorter working year scheme They are also recruited to alleviate work pressure in certain areas, special projects and to assist in the roll-out of the Public Services Card project. 


The number of TCOs assigned in Sligo and Leitrim in each of the years 2013 to 2018 is as follows:

In managing temporary contracts the Department does not renew existing contracts. Instead temporary contracts are generally issued for a specified purpose. All temporary contracts are then kept under review and are terminated when the purpose for the contract has ceased or the term is concluded.

In keeping with the relevant agreements, where vacant positions exist they are filled on a permanent basis, although in exceptional circumstances temporary staff are assigned pending the assignment of a permanent staff member. In 2016 there were two TCOs assigned for this purpose to the Department’s offices in Carrick-on- Shannon. Both of these contracts were terminated when the vacancies were filled by the assignment of permanent officers. There were no TCOs assigned to cover permanent vacancies during the period 2013 to date in the Department’s offices in Sligo.