Debate contribution: Northern Ireland Civil Service: Agency Workers

Debate contribution by Mr Brian Kingston on 23 June 2026.

MLA: Mr Brian Kingston
Party at the time: Democratic Unionist Party
Date: 23 June 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Northern Ireland Civil Service: Agency Workers
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5636925

Text

I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, you will be aware that your Department's figures show a 76% increase in agency staff across the Northern Ireland Civil Service in the three years from 2023 to 2026, reaching a total of over 5,250 such staff in January of this year. I know that just under half of those staff work under the DWP contract in the Department for Communities, but, at the Finance Committee, we have heard of agency staff working under such contracts for seven years or more. I heard what you said, Minister, but is there an active policy to enable long-term agency workers to become directly employed, with the Northern Ireland Civil Service having the flexibility to deploy them as needed?

124 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Part of an exchange

This follow-up belongs to: Oral question AQO 3778/22-27.

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