Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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836. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that the provisions of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform Circular 4/2013 are being properly implemented by his Department; if he is satisfied that civil servants whose career breaks are coming to an end are being notified of appropriate vacancies; if he is concerned by instances where civil servants are having their career breaks extended unnecessarily where the Department has appropriate vacancies to fill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44369/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to ensuring that a highly skilled, motivated and efficient workforce is in place to meet on-going business needs and avails of Workforce Planning processes to identify and assess its business needs.

Workforce planning is a key tool in enabling my Department to forecast its current and future staffing needs. As a management function, it drives the full range of HR activities including recruitment, deployment, performance, learning and development. Workforce Planning aims to ensure a long-term, proactive and strategic plan by which my Department achieves the right level of talent in each location and Division, at the right time.

All available options are utilised in addressing the filling of vacancies within my Department and career break returns form a valuable mechanism in this process. My Department recognises the importance of supporting our colleagues in their return to the workforce and, while the timescale for career break returns can vary, we aim to facilitate such returns with minimum delay to individuals. It is not always feasible, however, to facilitate the swift return to work of a staff member on career break within their specific grade and location and the Career Break Circular 4/2013 alerts officers to the possibility of a twelve month lead-in period which may be required in order to facilitate a return to duty. I am satisfied that the terms of this Circular are being applied equally and fairly across my Department.

Overall staffing levels and required skills are continually monitored and prioritised in the context of my Departments constantly evolving business needs. The human resources division of my Department works to meet these needs subject to the limits of the annual estimates process, the usual budgetary constraints and approvals by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.