Vol. 518 No. 6
399 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has any proposals to amend the educational requirements for eligibility for clerical positions within local authorities for qualified mature people who may not have achieved five passes in their leaving certificate examinations but who have acquired additional experience over the years and who otherwise would be successful in the examinations and interviews. [12997/00]
In 1997 when the lower clerical grades in local authorities were restructured, the qualifications for clerical officer were revised in consultation with local authority management and staff representatives. The educational qualification was maintained at leaving certificate level as this was considered to represent a suitable standard of general education. An exception was provided for persons with at least two years previous permanent and pensionable service in clerical officer or clerk-typist positions in local authorities or health boards. These people remain entitled to compete for local authority clerical officer positions irrespective of whether they have a leaving certificate. A further provision also exists for limited recruitment of clerical officers from among serving local authority employees with two years satisfactory experience without a need to satisfy the educational requirements. I have no proposals at present to amend the educational qualifications further.
