Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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88. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Act 2021; the total number of staff assigned to the Corporate Enforcement Authority, including forensic accountants and Garda-assigned personnel; the number and title of positions, if any, that are currently unfilled within the Corporate Enforcement Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35491/22]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Commencement Order, commencing the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Act 2021 will be signed shortly, with the Establishment Order which is required to set up the CEA being signed soon thereafter. 

As an Agency, the CEA will have more autonomy, particularly the ability to recruit required skills and expertise. My Department has worked with the ODCE to ensure the CEA will have the necessary human resources required, both Civil Service and members of An Garda Síochána, to undertake its statutory functions.

In preparation for the establishment of the CEA, my Department approved an additional 14 civil servants to be assigned to the CEA. In addition, the new Authority’s full-time Garda complement will increase by 50% from 7 to 16 officers (comprising of 1 Detective Inspector, 3 Detective Sergeants and 12 Detective Gardaí). This is in line with the Director of Corporate Enforcement’s assessment of the staffing needs of the CEA.  Recruitment of additional Gardaí is underway.

As of 29 June 2022, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (“ODCE”) has 47 staff in situ, including 10 Gardaí on secondment, 4 assigned on a temporary basis and 6 on full-time basis.

Details of current civilian vacancies are set out below:

- Head of Legal

- Head of Civil Enforcement & Advocacy

- Forensic Accountant

- Insolvency Supervision Manager

- Enforcement Lawyer

- HR Manager

- Governance Manager

- Higher Executive Officer – 4 vacancies

- Executive Officer – 3 vacancies

- Clerical Officer – 6 vacancies

Filling these vacancies is a matter of priority. They arise as a result of a combination of new sanctions, retirements, and internal and external promotions. Candidates to fill 3 of these vacancies have been identified and will take up their posts in the coming months. In terms of recruitment for the remaining positions I am informed that priority is being given to filling the more senior posts in order that incoming senior staff can participate in the recruitment of more junior staff. Regarding senior staff, several competitions have been run over recent months. Those competitions have seen varying degrees of success. While some appointments have been made, I understand that accounting and legal professionals with the necessary experience are proving particularly difficult to source in the current tight labour market. Regarding forensic accountants, one vacancy has occurred in recent weeks as a result of promotion, all other forensic accountant positions are filled.