South Dublin Council’s chief executive has cited the high cost of living and a lack of available housing as reasons for the council’s staffing issues. The council’s current staff shortage affects all disciplines, including clerical and entry level staff. The council’s homeless team currently includes eight positions, one of which is a full-time outreach worker.

Danny McLoughlin, the chief executive of South Dublin Council, has said that high staff vacancy levels are due to the cost of accommodation and availability. Speaking at a recent meeting of the council, Mr McLoughlin said that the authority had the highest vacancy rate that it had had for three years, currently standing at around 11%. He cited difficulties in recruiting clerical and entry-level staff due to Dublin’s high living costs. The council’s homeless team has eight positions, including one full-time outreach worker. The manager reported that the council’s housing list includes 511 homeless households, of which 313 are single person households.