Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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223. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he and his departmental officials have discussed the retirement cliff for the Civil Service in view of the age profile and the impact of the loss of expertise; and the actions being taken to address the matter. [23444/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Taoiseach’s Department, are fully cognisant of the changing demographic of the Civil Service. Under their leadership and sponsorship, strategic workforce planning is an action of One Vision - Civil Service Renewal Plan 2014 and the People Strategy 2017-2020 of the Civil Service.

 The Management Boards of Civil Service Departments and Offices retain ownership and responsibility for workforce planning of their respective organisations. This business process is an ongoing and dynamic activity, responding to environmental challenges and developments in relation to their strategic business goals.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform now has formal responsibility for the development and coordination of strategic workforce planning in the Civil Service by the provision of guidelines, training and support to all government Departments and Offices. At present, officials in the Civil Service HR Division of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, are engaging with Civil Service HR Managers, in preparation for the next round of workforce planning, with a view to developing rolling workforce plans with a 3 year horizon.

The staffing requirements identified in these plans will inform the recruitment strategies of the Public Appointments Service in the context of anticipated retirements.

Identified learning and development interventions, arising from anticipated retirements, are being addressed through OneLearning, the Learning and Development Centre for the Civil Service. 

A skills register for the Civil Service is being developed which will assist with future strategic workforce planning by informing on skills gaps, individual and organisational learning and development plans, workforce plans and future recruitment drives.

Under the leadership of the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Secretary General of the Department of An Taoiseach, (as chair of the Civil Service Management Board), specific initiatives are underway to build capability in the Senior Public Service that are intended to mitigate any loss of leadership arising from probable retirements of Senior civil servants. In addition to mobility and Senior Leadership programmes aimed at Assistant Secretaries and Principal Officers there are also talent management, mentoring and coaching programmes equipping serving and emerging leaders with the competencies and skills required to lead into the future.