asked the Minister for Industry and Energy the extent to which senior promotion posts in his Department are open to service-wide competition irrespective of grade; the number of posts filled by persons from outside his Department since the matter was opened up; if he will give details of each promotion post in his Department which is not open to service-wide competition; and the reason for the restriction in each case.
Written Answers. - Promotion Posts.
549.
Normally senior promotion posts in my Department are filled from within the Department. As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for the Public Service stated in reply to a parliamentary question on 19 May 1982 that there have been negotiations with staff interests with a view to opening up certain higher posts in the civil service to inter-Departmental competition. However, some posts have on occasions been filled from outside the Department by appropriate competitions.