1737. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of civil servants in her Department, and in agencies under the aegis of her Department, who were on career break in 2023 or 2024, by month and grade, and by length of career break; the number of civil servants in her Department and in agencies under the aegis of her Department who were on career break for longer than five years or longer than six years in 2023 or 2024, by month, grade, and length of career break, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46197/24]

My Department has seven staff members who took a career break which included all or part of 2023 or 2024. The table below shows the grades, and the dates and duration of these career breaks.

No staff in my department have been on a career break lasting longer than five years. While the granting of career breaks is an operational matter for agencies under our aegis, I can confirm that they do not have any staff on career break as outlined.