Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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415. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of civil servants in his Department, and in agencies under the aegis of his Department, who were on career break in 2023 or 2024, by month and grade, and by length of career break; the number of civil servants in his Department and in agencies under the aegis of his Department who were on career break for longer than five years or longer than six years in 2023 or 2024, by month, grade, and length of career break, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46188/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Please find attached the number of civil servants in Department Enterprise, Trade & Employment, and in agencies under the aegis of his Department, who were on career break in 2023 or 2024, by month and grade, and by length of career break; the number of civil servants in the Department and in agencies under the aegis of the Department who were on career break for longer than five years or longer than six years in 2023 or 2024, by month, grade, and length of career break, in tabular form.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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416. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of vacancies, by month and by grade, in his Department, and in agencies under the aegis of his Department, in 2023 and 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46206/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Tab 1 of the attached spreadsheet shows the number of vacancies, by month and by grade, in my Department, and tab 2 shows the number of vacancies, by month and by grade in agencies under the aegis of my Department, in 2023 and 2024.

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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417. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to provide an assurance that no civil servant has had their career break extended beyond five years where there is a suitable vacancy in their home Department or agency; that, where a civil servant has had their career break extended beyond five years on account of there being no suitable vacancy in their home Department or agency, that they have been placed on a redeployment panel; that, where a civil servant has had their career break extended beyond six years, consideration has been given to facilitating them on a supernumerary basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46224/24]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department in conjunction with the National Shared Services Office, ensures that the provisions of Circular 04/2013 are properly implemented and I am satisfied that this is the case.

To secure an offer of work, civil servants must indicate at least two months before the end of their career break that they wish to return to work. My Department works with the returning officers to agree a return date. Consideration is given to the business needs of the Department and returning officers are notified of their assignment in advance of their return.

In accordance with the circular, it may not be possible to facilitate the return to work of a civil servant on career break in a relevant grade for up to twelve months after the end date of the career break.

In my Department, no officers have had their career break unnecessarily extended where there have been vacancies, at the appropriate grade, to fill.