Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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57. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to increase the resources in the sections of client identity services and child benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25171/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, 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.

My Department are currently in discussion with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with regard to staffing needs for 2021 for all business areas within the Department, taking into account the increasing demand on current schemes and the ongoing need to respond to the new demands across a wide range of services which have arisen as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. On conclusion of these discussions, the Department will ensure, through its workforce planning, that the best use is made of available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the wide range of schemes it operates.