asked the Minister for Finance if it is his intention to resume the practice of making promotions from the lower to the higher grades of the Civil Service, having regard to the discontent which exists in consequence of the cessation of such promotions.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - PROMOTIONS IN CIVIL SERVICE.
Vacancies in grades in the Civil Service above those to which staff is recruited directly by open competitive examination are normally filled by promotion from the lower grades of the service. This practice continues and it is not proposed to alter it. As regards other grades, no staff is at present being recruited for the executive and clerical classes, which, presumably, are those the Deputy has in mind, as owing to economies in reorganisation, the numbers of these classes are being reduced. I may add, however, that these arrangements have not had the effect of entirely preventing the promotion of clerical officers, because junior executive posts are being converted, wherever possible, into staff posts, and these are being filled by promotion from the clerical grade.