Written answers
Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Department of Justice and Equality
Departmental Staff
George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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749. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of vacancies which arose at principal officer level for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 in his Department and agencies under the aegis of his Department; the number of these vacancies filled between internal and external methods; the number of vacancies each year at principal officer level filled by mobility; the number of internal competitions for principal officer grade run by his Department since 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63029/25]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has run five internal competitions for the position of Principal Officer since 2010, in the years 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2024. The breakdown of information requested by the Deputy for my Department is set out in the table below.
| Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration* | Principal Officer Vacancies (on 1st Jan each year) | Vacancies filled internally | Vacancies filled externally | Vacancies filled by mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
| 2023 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 YTD | 27 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
I am informed that the information received from the remaining Vote 24 agencies and the agencies in the Justice Vote Group is presented in the table below.
| - | Principal Officer Vacancies | Vacancies filled internally | Vacancies filled externally | Vacancies filled by mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| An Garda Síochána | ||||
| 2022 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2023 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 YTD | 10 | 1 | 5* | 0 |
| Courts Service of Ireland | ||||
| 2022 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 YTD | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Data Protection Commission | ||||
| 2022 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 YTD | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fiosrú** | ||||
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 YTD | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland | ||||
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025 YTD | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Irish Prison Service | ||||
| 2022 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 YTD | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Judicial Council | ||||
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 YTD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Legal Aid Board | ||||
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 YTD | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Policing and Community Safety Authority (Incorporating the Policing Authority)*** | ||||
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1† | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 YTD | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
** Fiosrú was established in April 2025 with a new Vote, replacing the functions of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission
*** The Policing and Community Safety Authority was established in April 2025, incorporating the functions of the Policing Authority and the Garda Inspectorate.
† Position not filled in 2023
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