Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 October 2022

Wednesday, 12 October 2022

Ceisteanna (52)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

52. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a schedule of the number of staff by grade who are assigned on a full-time basis to liaise and provide support to the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in order for that Department to fulfil its areas of responsibility in respect of providing for the needs of those seeking international protection and persons categorised by virtue of the temporary protection directive by the European Union; and if he will provide a schedule of the services that his Department provides to the Department for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in that regard. [50455/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

The role of my Department is to serve the public interest by supporting the delivery of well-managed, well-targeted and sustainable public spending through modernised, effective and accountable public services.

On 12 October 2022, my Department will seek to move a motion on the Order Paper to move a Supplementary Estimate for that Department to provide additional funding for providing accommodation and other costs in respect of refugees from Ukraine.

While my Department has not directly redeployed staff to the Department of Children,Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth there are staff from a variety of grades and across a range of areas within my Department who have been available to support colleagues in DCEDIY in relation to the Ukraine response issues ranging from expenditure, pay and pensions, industrial relations, strategic HR, reform and procurement.

DPER has assisted DCEDIY with their call for temporary assignments by sending the call out through the Civil Service Sector Group (CSSG) which was established in 2020 to share knowledge and work collaboratively on issues arising from COVID-19 and how they should be addressed in the workplace context in line with public health advice. There are representatives from each Civil Service department on the group.