Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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596. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social welfare inspectors currently employed in each social welfare region throughout the country; the extent to which these numbers have fluctuated over the past ten years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38875/20]

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.

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 demands across a wide range of services. This is to ensure that the best use is made of available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department.

There are a total of 278 Social Welfare Inspectors currently employed in my Department. The table below provides a breakdown by region.

In addition there are a further 91 officers assigned to the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). The SIU carries out a wide range of control activities and works closely with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners through the Joint Investigation Unit, with the Workplace Relations Commission and other compliance and enforcement agencies.

Historical staffing figures for Social Welfare Inspectors are not available.