Written answers
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Department of Education and Skills
Departmental Staff
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1691. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills 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. [46192/24]
Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The number of staff from my Department who were on a career break in 2023 and 2024, is set out in the below tables.
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the third table below, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with his query.
2023
| Grade | Full-time equivalent | Start date(s) | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Officer | 1 | 25/11/2022 | Yes |
| Administrative Officer | 2 | 06/09/2021 16/10/2023 | No Yes |
| Executive Officer | 0.5 | 05/12/2022 | Yes |
2024
| Grade | Full-time equivalent | Start date(s) | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Officer | 1 | 25/11/2022 | Yes |
| Higher Executive Officer | 1 | 08/01/2024 | No |
| Administrative Officer | 2 | 16/10/2023 30/08/2024 | Yes Yes |
| Executive Officer | 0.5 | 05/12/2022 | Yes |
Note: Some staff who were on a career break in 2023 were still on career break in 2024 and are therefore included under both years.
Please note that the data is representative of staff FTE (full time equivalent hours).
As my Department was established in August 2020, there are no staff members on a career break for longer than five years or longer than six years, in 2023 or 2024.
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
| Name of Body | Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas | Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|---|---|---|
| Higher Education Authority | Oireachtas@hea.ie | Padraic Mellett* |
| Irish Research Council( Note 1) | Oireachtas@research.ie | Padraic Mellett* |
| Grangegorman Development Agency | Communications@ggda.ie | nora.rahill@ggda.ie |
| SOLAS | oireachtasinfo@solas.ie | Maria Walsh maria.walshe@solas.ie |
| Skillnets Ireland | oireachtasmembers@skillnetireland.ie | tracey.donnery@skillnetireland.ie |
| Quality and Qualifications Ireland | ceo@qqi.ie | ceo@qqi.ie |
| Léargas – The Exchange Bureau | oireachtas@leargas.ie | fbroughan@leargas.ie |
| Science Foundation Ireland | ciara.cotter@sfi.ie | Ciara Cotter |
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1692. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills 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. [46210/24]
Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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In my Department, staff vacancy figures are recorded on a quarterly basis. The number of staff vacancies by grade were first formally recorded in Quarter 3 2023. The total number of staff vacancies broken down by grade for Quarters 3 and 4 in 2023 and Quarters 1 to 4 in 2024 are set out in the tables below.
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the final table below, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with his query.
Q3 2023 - 42 vacancies in total
| Principal Officer | 1 |
|---|---|
| Assistant Principal Officer | 5 |
| Higher Executive Officer | 7 |
| Administrative Officer | 5 |
| Executive Officer | 7 |
| Clerical Officer | 3 |
| Service Officer | 1 |
| Senior Quantity Surveyor | 2 |
| Senior Architect | 2 |
| Senior Mechanical Engineer | 1 |
Q4 2023 - 35 vacancies in total
| Assistant Secretary General | 1 |
|---|---|
| Principal Officer | 1 |
| Assistant Principal | 8 |
| Higher Executive Officer | 6 |
| Administrative Officer | 5 |
| Executive Officer | 7 |
| Clerical Officer | 1 |
| Service Officer | 1 |
| Senior Quantity Surveyor | 2 |
| Senior Architect | 2 |
| Senior Building Services Engineer | 1 |
Q1 2024 - 32 vacancies in total
| Assistant Secretary General | 1 |
|---|---|
| Principal Officer | 0 |
| Assistant Principal | 9 |
| Higher Executive Officer | 4 |
| Administrative Officer | 5 |
| Executive Officer | 6 |
| Clerical Officer | 1 |
| Service Officer | 1 |
| Senior Quantity Surveyor | 2 |
| Senior Architect | 2 |
| Senior Building Services Engineer | 1 |
Q2 2024 - 35 vacancies in total
| Assistant Secretary General | 1 |
|---|---|
| Principal Officer | 1 |
| Assistant Principal | 11 |
| Higher Executive Officer | 6 |
| Administrative Officer | 4 |
| Executive Officer | 4 |
| Clerical Officer | 1 |
| Service Officer | 1 |
| Senior Quantity Surveyor | 3 |
| Senior Architect | 2 |
| Senior Building Services Engineer | 1 |
Q3 2024 - 43 vacancies in total
| Assistant Secretary General | 1 |
|---|---|
| Principal Officer | 6 |
| Assistant Principal | 13 |
| Higher Executive Officer | 10 |
| Administrative Officer | 4 |
| Executive Officer | 2 |
| Clerical Officer | 0 |
| Service Officer | 1 |
| Senior Quantity Surveyor | 3 |
| Senior Architect | 2 |
| Senior Building Services Engineer | 1 |
Q4 - 2024 - 46 vacancies in total
| Assistant Secretary General | 2 |
|---|---|
| Principal Officer | 6 |
| Assistant Principal | 12 |
| Higher Executive Officer | 8 |
| Administrative Officer | 5 |
| Executive Officer | 6 |
| Clerical Officer | 1 |
| Service Officer | 0 |
| Senior Quantity Surveyor | 3 |
| Senior Architect | 2 |
| Senior Building Services Engineer | 1 |
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
| Name of Body | Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas | Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|---|---|---|
| Higher Education Authority | Oireachtas@hea.ie | Padraic Mellett* |
| Irish Research Council( Note 1) | Oireachtas@research.ie | Padraic Mellett* |
| Grangegorman Development Agency | Communications@ggda.ie | nora.rahill@ggda.ie |
| SOLAS | oireachtasinfo@solas.ie | Maria Walsh maria.walshe@solas.ie |
| Skillnets Ireland | oireachtasmembers@skillnetireland.ie | tracey.donnery@skillnetireland.ie |
| Quality and Qualifications Ireland | ceo@qqi.ie | ceo@qqi.ie |
| Léargas – The Exchange Bureau | oireachtas@leargas.ie | fbroughan@leargas.ie |
| Science Foundation Ireland | ciara.cotter@sfi.ie | Ciara Cotter |
Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1693. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills 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; to provide an assurance 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; to provide an assurance that, where a civil servant has had their career break extended beyond six years, that consideration has been given to facilitating them on a supernumerary basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46228/24]
Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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As my Department was established in August 2020, there are no staff members on a career break beyond five years.
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