Vol. 325 No. 6
asked the Minister for the Environment if he considers the departmental regulation which restricts the number of applicants being called for interview seeking employment with local authorities to those applicants who have sat the leaving certificate examination and who received a certain level of marks to be fair and in the best interest of all applicants in Ireland.
300.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he is aware that a student who was awarded a certificate in business studies was informed by Donegal County Council that his application for a position as clerical officer could not be accepted because his leaving certificate results were not sufficiently high for him to be called for interview; and bearing in mind that the student has progressed exceptionally well in the three years in which he attended the regional technical college, if he considers it proper or justified that the leaving certificate rule should apply in all cases; and, if not, the steps he proposes to take to correct the position.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 and 300 together.
With a view to ensuring that candidates have attained a certain standard of education, the qualifications prescribed for certain recruitment grades of offices in the local authority service, including the offices of clerical officer, require candidates to have obtained at least grade D or a pass in a specified number of subjects in the leaving certificate examination or to have passed an examination of equivalent standard.
In accordance with directions given under article 8 of the Local Government (Appointment of Officers) Regulations, 1974, local authorities may select candidates for appointment as clerical officer by either
(a) holding their own competitive examination, or
(b) on the basis of the results attained by candidates in the leaving certificate examination.
In practice most local authorities, including Donegal County Council, favour the latter method of selection. In the case of selection on the basis of leaving certificate results the names of qualified candidates are placed on a panel in the order of the aggregate points attributable to them in respect of their grades or marks in
(a) Mathematics and Irish or English, or
(b) Irish, English and Mathematics
at that examination and an interview where applicable. I understand that Donegal County Council have received a large number of applications in a competition, which they are now holding, for appointment as clerical officer. Results obtained in examinations other than the leaving certificate may not be taken into consideration in determining a candidate's place on a panel.
I am reasonably satisfied that the foregoing arrangements offer the best method of selecting the most suitable persons for appointment to offices such as that of clerical officer, recruitment to which is aimed mainly at second level school leavers. I have no proposals to change the existing arrangements. These arangements apply to offices under local authorities for which I am the appropriate Minister.
