Eoin Ó Broin
Ceist:
211. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of staff employed by An Bord Pleanála; the number of staff full-time equivalents employed at each grade in the Bord; the average cost per grade and the total current expenditure on staff at the Bord. [22275/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Eoin Ó Broin
Ceist:
212. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of additional posts sanctioned by his Department at An Bord Pleanála since January 2022; the grades approved; the number recruited; the annual cost of the staff recruited; and the full number sanctioned. [22276/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra
I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 and 212 together.
An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51:
An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
There are now more people working at An Bord Pleanála than at any time previously. Since October 2021, my Department has agreed to 117 new staffing posts in An Bord Pleanála, as detailed below.
• In October 2021, my Department approved an additional 24 posts across a range of technical and administrative grades including the setting up of a new Marine and Climate Unit.
• In December 2022, 34 additional posts were sanctioned, and the Board is in the process of filling these positions.
• In April 2023, An Bord Pleanála sought agreement for a total of 59 new posts, all of which were agreed by the Department. An Bord Pleanála submitted sanction approval requests for these positions and my Department has provided sanction approval for all 59 posts.
• Since October 2021 all of the above posts have been sanctioned by my Department. Of the posts listed above, 93 have been sanctioned since January 2022.
• An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.
• Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for An Bord Pleanála in this regard is Oireachtasqueries@pleanala.ie.
• In order to assist the Deputy, my Department obtained the information requested by the Deputy from An Bord Pleanála.
• An Bord Pleanála have advised that, as of 30th April 2023, 219 people are working in the Board (including Board Members). An Bord Pleanála have advised that the total salary costs for these posts from 1 January 2023 to 30th April 2023 is €4,739,000 and that the projected cost of salaries for 2023 is €17,769,000.
• Table 1 and Table 2 below list the number of staff full-time equivalents employed at each grade in the Bord and the average cost per grade as of 30th April 2023.
• Table 1: Board Membership at An Bord Pleanála at 30th
April 2023
Board Member Grade ABP
|
FTE
|
PPC rate
|
Non-PPC rate
|
Chairperson
|
1
|
€227,369
|
€216,000
|
Deputy Chairperson
|
1
|
€155, 384
|
€147,614
|
Board Member
|
13
|
€135,478
|
€128,706
|
Estimated Current Total Salary (Board Membership @ PPC Rate)
|
15
|
€2,143,967
|
|
Table 2 Staffing at An Bord Pleanála as of 30
th
April 2023
Staffing Grade ABP
|
FTE
|
Average Cost Per Grade
|
Grade Category
|
Chief Officer
|
1
|
€111,256
(non-PPC)
|
Principal Officer Higher
|
Director of Corporate Affairs
|
1
|
€103,605
(non-PPC)
|
Principal Officer
|
Director of Planning
|
2
|
€108,593
|
Senior Advisor
|
Assistant Director of Planning
|
4
|
€87,375
|
Engineer Grade I plus allowance
|
Senior Planning Inspector
|
40
|
€87,375
|
Engineer Grade I
|
Ecologist
|
1
|
€87,375
|
Engineer Grade I
|
Planning Inspector
|
24
|
€74,700
|
Engineer Grade II
|
Senior Administrative Officer
|
10
|
€83,625
|
Assistant Principal
|
Senior Executive Officer
|
19
|
€59,888
|
Higher Executive Officer
|
Executive Officer
|
54
|
€44,500
|
Executive Officer
|
Administrative Assistant
|
48
|
€35,458
|
Clerical Officer
|
Total
|
204
|
€12,235,828
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cumulative total of Table 1 and Table 2
|
219
|
€14,379,795
|
|
Table 3 below lists the number of posts sanctioned by the Department at An Bord Pleanála since January 2022 and the grades approved. The number recruited as of 30th April 2023 has been provided by An Bord Pleanála. An Bord Pleanála have advised that they have made offers to prospective candidates for the filling of some of the sanctioned posts.
Table 3: Grades Sanctioned and filled in An Bord Pleanála as of 30
th
April 2023.
Grades sanctioned Since January 2022
|
Number of Each Grade Sanctioned
|
Number of each grade filled
|
Assistant Director of Planning
|
1
|
|
Senior Planning Inspector
|
25
|
6
|
Planning Inspector
|
12
|
|
Senior Administrative Officer
|
1
|
|
Senior Executive Officer Specialist
|
2
|
|
Senior Executive Officer
|
5
|
1
|
Executive Officer
|
20
|
|
Administrative Assistant
|
21
|
2
|
Director of Marine Planning
|
1
|
1
|
Director of Legal Affairs
|
1
|
1 *Offer accepted and position due to be filled in June 2023.
|
Ethics Officer
|
1
|
|
Director of Transformation
|
1
|
|
Marine Specialists
|
2
|
|
Question No. 212 answered with Question No. 211.