Vol. 554 No. 5
1683 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) can be transferred to Sligo given that this person will have completed his compulsory year of service in Dublin and taking into consideration the medical condition of this person's mother; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16057/02]
There are formal procedures agreed between the Civil and Public Service Union, which represents clerical officers, and the Department of Finance, whereby vacancies in larger provincial offices, such as Sligo, are filled on a 50:50 basis through either recruitment or transfer of serving civil servants. These arrangements were worked out under civil service industrial relations procedures.
The names of officers applying for transfer to fill a vacancy in a provincial location are entered on my Department's central transfer lists in the order in which they are received. Vacancies which arise in provincial locations are then filled by reference to these lists.
The officer in question was appointed to a permanent position in the Dublin offices of my Department and took up the appointment in early November 2001. He applied for transfer to Sligo on 19 November 2001. His name is noted on the central transfer list for that location since that date.
A number of people on existing transfer lists have cited pressing domestic circumstances when submitting their transfer applications. Any special arrangements in individual cases would create difficulties and inequalities.
There are no clerical vacancies in Sligo at present and none are anticipated in the medium term.
