Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2024
68. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications about workforce planning in the SEAI; to provide a breakdown of the full-year cost of employing one FTE, per staffing grade, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36265/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) was established under the Sustainable Energy Act of 2002. The Authority is a body corporate with functions and responsibilities as set out under Section 6 of the Act, which include inter alia promoting and assisting;
• environmentally and economically sustainable production, supply and use of energy,
• energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy,
• the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,
• minimising of the impact on the environment of the production, supply and use of energy,
• research, development, and demonstration of relevant technologies.
The SEAI also has a role to provide advice, information and guidance to the Minister, Government Departments and agencies, energy suppliers, and energy users.
SEAI is funded by the Government of Ireland, through the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Transport. In 2024 the Agency’s total budget allocation is over €600 million.
SEAI is key to informing, supporting, implementing, and delivering Government energy policy and the Climate Action Plan. The programmes administered by SEAI have a major impact on the Irish economy through home and community energy upgrades, business supports, research and innovation funding, and Electric Vehicle (EV) grants. SEAI has also been designated as the National Retrofit Delivery Body. In this role, the SEAI act as the lead agency in driving the delivery of Ireland’s residential retrofit targets.
While a cohort of staff within SEAI are involved in a range of administrative functions that support schemes, the agency is also assisted by a service provider that provides the front-end customer service.
Please find below figures as requested, based on fulltime equivalent headcount and median cost per grade plus employer PRSI.
|
Grade |
CEO |
Director |
Level F |
Level E |
SSO |
Eng 11 |
Level D |
Level C |
|
Headcount FTE |
1 |
4 |
14 |
63 |
3 |
18.7 |
120.8 |
9.8 |
|
Cost per 1 FTE (Median + ER PRSI) |
192,414 |
153,678 |
126,558 |
100,160 |
96,515 |
88,477 |
68,597 |
49,497 |
SEAI continue to enhance their staffing levels consistent with the scaling up of capacity to support the significant policy developments announced in recent years under the Climate Acton Plan and National Retrofit Plan. The funding provided to the SEAI brought staff levels close to 235 by the end of 2023, in line with their Workforce Plan 2021-2023.
|
SEAI – 2020-2024 WTEs |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Total |
93.1 |
125.5 |
170 (195 Sanctioned) |
227* (235 Sanctioned) |
235 YTD (255 Sanctioned) |
A workforce plan was submitted by SEAI to my Department in 2023. This is currently under consideration by my Department in the context of planning for the future growth of the organisation.
