COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, September 09, 2024

QUESTION NO. 41

QUESTION: Councillor J. Spear

To ask the Chief Executive for a report on staff in each Council department? Please include number of current staff in each department, vacancies, if any, whether the department outsources work to private companies (what services and what percentage of work is outsourced), whether the department relies on other Council staff (e.g., to cover Park Ranger duties), and any plans for increasing staff numbers to assist with the workload.

REPLY:

The following table shows the staffing numbers and vacancies across the Council by directorate on 01/08/2024:

Workforce Plan at 18/2024	HSCD	EETD	EWCC	LUPT	Finance	CPCM	ICT	Architects	Law	Total
Total Posts	269	166	446	325	74	123	29	55	25	1,512
Total Vacancies	37	14	79	45	11	9	6	7	2	210

In the past two years, we have increased the new of approved workforce posts by almost 100 posts to a total 1,512 positions and our workforce planning is a ongoing process which will align with and support delivery of our new Corporate Plan 2025 – 2029.  It should be noted that 29 current vacancies are newly created posts that are being added to the existing workforce and are currently in recruitment while a further 123 posts are currently at various stages in the recruitment process, including new employees having been offered contracts and with commencement dates agreed.  In addition, some vacant posts are currently being reviewed in the context of project completions, restructuring related to the transfer of functions to Uisce Éireann and other operational requirements.  In that context, the current level of vacancy reflects an extremely challenging recruitment environment, as seen across the entire public and private sectors with the economy practically at full employment, but every effort is being made to fill vacancies in the shortest possible timeframe and to examine enhancements and efficiencies in our recruitment processes.  

In line with optimal workforce planning practice, business cases are required for all new posts and filling of all vacancies, ensuring review and justification for each post in the context of a changing operating environment, new technology and objectives, to ensure that each post is fit-for-purpose and that the workforce is adapting to strategic and service delivery objectives as fresh challenges materialise and service demand evolves. Workforce planning is an essential tool for anticipating possible future developments and maintaining a well-structured workforce of an appropriate size which has the capacity to meet the changing needs of the Council in a cost-efficient manner and we engage with and consult the trade unions as part of this process on a quarterly basis.  

The Council is committed to the use of direct labour aligned to efficient and effective service delivery but where a service defines the need to examine an external service delivery option, this is provided for in the Public Service Agreements. In such circumstances, the Council engages with the relevant unions in accordance with the consultative process set out in the Public Service Agreement.  Where issues remain, the industrial relations mechanisms of the state are utilised to reach a resolution.  As there are many and varied such arrangements in place across multiple work areas, it is not intended to provide an exhaustive list of all such arrangements currently in place in this reply but the relevant contextual and background information to instigating such arrangements should provide assurance regarding the analytical, evidence-based and consultative nature of the process undertaken by the Council both in identifying workforce development needs and any outsourcing requirements.  

It should also be noted that any such external procurement of services does not impact on the the pay rates, pension and employment conditions of employees and will not result in any compulsory redundancies, while any private sector employers acting under a public service outsourcing contract are required to comply with all statutory terms and conditions relating to the employment in Ireland, including any registered agreements or Employment Regulation Orders.