839. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [46198/24]

840. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of vacancies, by month and by grade, in her Department, and in agencies under the aegis of her Department, in 2023 and 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46216/24]

841. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection to provide an assurance that no civil servant has had their career break extended beyond five years where there is a suitable vacancy in their home Department or agency; to provide an assurance that, where a civil servant has had their career break extended beyond five years on account of there being no suitable vacancy in their home Department or agency, that they have been placed on a redeployment panel; to provide an assurance that, where a civil servant has had their career break extended beyond six years, that consideration has been given to facilitating them on a supernumerary basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46234/24]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 839, 840 and 841 together.

I can assure the Deputy that where any request received in my Department via the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) from a staff member requesting to return from career break, contact is made with the candidate and an offer is made within the 12-month period after expiry of the career break, in all cases. No officer has been placed on the redeployment panel and there has been no necessity to facilitate an officer on a supernumerary basis.

Figures regarding the numbers of staff on career break by grade and month are tabulated below:

To protect individual privacy and prevent inadvertent identification, grades with very low numbers have been merged.

Figures regarding the numbers of vacancies by grade at end of 2023/2024 are tabulated below:

Vacancies by grade at end December 2023

Vacancies by grade at end December 2024

The information requested by the Deputy regarding a breakdown of the career break data by length of individual career break, and a breakdown of the vacancy data by month, cannot be provided within the time available as it would require a disproportionate amount of time and resources to compile.

The volume of relevant data involved and the level of detail requested would necessitate an extensive manual review of records, which is not feasible within this timeline.

However, if the Deputy wishes to refine or narrow the scope of the question(s), we would be happy to provide a more focused response that addresses specific aspects of the query.