Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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92. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of staff hired in local authority planning departments since the publication of the Business Case for Resources for the Planning Function of Local Authorities in 2022 by the Local Government Management Agency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25791/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Under Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he/she is responsible. My Department oversees workforce planning for the local government sector, including the monitoring of local government sector employment levels. To this end, my Department gathers aggregate quarterly data on staff numbers in each local authority on a whole time equivalent basis.

However, granular data, in terms of the detailed breakdown of the numbers and grades of staff allocated to specific work areas within local authorities is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. The relevant information would be available from each local authority.

My Department is currently working on a number of measures to increase staffing levels in the local government planning sector. The Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) submitted a report entitled Business Case for Resources for the Planning Function of Local Authorities in 2022 which identified a shortfall of 541 staff in local authority planning services at that time. Further to the submission of the report, the Department is working in conjunction with the LGMA on a programme of support to provide planning authorities, on a phased basis, with the requisite level of staffing resources and expertise to efficiently and effectively perform their planning functions.

In this regard, my Department wrote to planning authorities in October 2023 conveying approval to the filling of an initial 100 posts, subsequently increased to 101 posts, in the local authority planning service under the first tranche of the program. €8 million has been allocated in Budget 2024 specifically for additional planning recruitment and training at local authority level. This will support the filling of the 101 posts and will also contribute towards the establishment of a sustainable pipeline of planning resource provision. Engagement is ongoing with the local government sector on the scope of further tranches.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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93. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will direct a local authority (details supplied) to review a particular service provided under local government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25823/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through general policy setting and preparing legislation, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.

My Department was informed by Roscommon County Council in February 2017 that Castlerea Fire Station was stood down from operation. I understand that a decision has been made not to re-open this Fire Station. This was an operational decision taken at local authority level who confirmed that Roscommon Fire and Rescue Service is well equipped to deal with issues in Castlerea. Fire cover in the area has been and continues to be managed and delivered in an efficient and safe manner from adjacent fire brigades by Roscommon Fire Service.