3,000-plus public sector workers to be hired in 2012
Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin confirmed the figure yesterday while explaining the actual reduction in public sector numbers overall next year would only reach 6,000.
At least 9,000 public sector workers are expected to retire by February next year to avail of pensions that will be awarded at pre-cut levels.
But with large numbers from the health and teaching profession sectors expected to leave, the government says there is a need to keep frontline posts filled to maintain services. There is also concern, with the number of teachers leaving their posts, that this may affect students preparing for exams.
Mr Howlin said the final numbers remain unknown. But he told the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the majority of retirements would come from the health sector.
There would then be additional recruitment and the moratorium on employing extra workers would be relaxed a little.
The average age of public sector workers is 45.
PAC chairman John McGuinness called for “strategic hiring” so frontline staff and not middle management were recruited among the 3,000 workers.
“It can’t be business as usual, it has to be very different.”
But Mr Howlin said the Government had no control on the types of workers leaving. “I don’t think it will be exclusively frontline.”
The Government hopes the public pay bill will fall by €400m next year, leaving 294,000 workers, a figure last seen in 2005.
Department secretary general Robert Watt said public sector workers were ageing. Pension costs for them by 2022 will surge to €640m, a 50% rise on this year.
Almost 900 civil servants from departments have so far said they will retire in 2011. Mr Watt said his department was planning how to respond to the exodus.
Mr Watt said he wanted to see more private workers enter the public service.
Galway TD Derek Nolan questioned the value in hiring 3,000 workers after letting 6,000 go. Mr Watt admitted the natural turnover of public workers annually was 5,000 to 6,000.
Meanwhile, ASTI warned that large numbers of teachers retiring in February could affect students preparing for exams. The secondary teachers union called for the deadline for those taking pre-cut pensions to be extended.
