The number of engineer position staffing requests

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Housing; Planning and Local Government the number of engineer position staffing requests under each engineer grade from each local authority in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; the number granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY


Since, 1 January 2014, my Department has received 933 engineering staffing sanction requests from local authorities, of which 819 have been approved. The status of these requests is set out in the table attached. The posts not approved include;

• 18 requests which are pending, in general awaiting supporting information prior to an informed decision being taken;
• 12 requests refused;
• 38 requests withdrawn by the sector;
• 46 requests marked as 'Closed under Circular E.L. 02-2016', which were closed by my Department following the introduction of agreed numbers under workforce planning (the circular granted delegated sanction to Chief Executives to fill vacancies as needed in the context of the agreed Workforce Plan, and Departmental sanction was no longer therefore required).