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Departmental Appointments.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2004

Tuesday, 27 January 2004

Questions (224, 225)

Richard Bruton

Question:

340 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the number of middle management posts in the Civil Service which have been filled by candidates from outside the Department with the vacancy, from outside the Civil Service, and the total number of such posts filled in the past five years. [1965/04]

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Written answers

The number of middle management posts covers the grades of administrative officer, higher executive officer, assistant principal and principal officer. The scheme in existence for filling vacancies in these grades within the civil service is an interdepartmental competition using a one in three ratio. Under this scheme, every third vacancy falling to be filled is referred to the Civil Service Commissioners to be filled from the Civil Service-wide interdepartmental competitions. The other two vacancies are filled from within the Department. A candidate who is successful in an interdepartmental competition may fill a vacancy in his or her own department.

In addition, all new principal officer posts are filled from the interdepartmental panel and also those posts that arise as a consequence of the former occupant of the post taking up appointment at assistant secretary level or higher in a department other than his/her parent department.

Table 1 sets out the position regarding the number of middle management posts in the civil service which have been filled by candidates in these interdepartmental competitions. No vacancies have been filled by candidates outside the civil service in the grades of higher executive officer, HEO, assistant principal, AP and principal officer, PO.

Table 1: Number of posts filled from interdepartmental competitions at HEO, AP and PO level

Year

HEO

AP

PO

1999

95

142

0

2000

200

85

41

2001

172

172

40

2002

194

135

7

2003

82

39

5

Total:

743

573

93

In the case of administrative officer positions, all vacancies arising have been filled by means of open competition until 2003 when vacancies were filled by both open and interdepartmental means — see table 2.

Table 2: Number of posts at administrative officer level which were filled from open and confined competitions

Year

Administrative Officer — Open

Administrative Officer — Confined

1999

52

2000

95

2001

125

2002

55

2003

15

9

Total:

342

9

In keeping with the commitment to open recruitment as outlined in Sustaining Progress, open competitions at both higher executive officer and assistant principal level were advertised in 2003 and the selection process was completed at end of year. To date, no appointments have been made from either of these competitions.

Richard Bruton

Question:

341 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the number of posts which have been filled by TLAC in the past five years and the number of these which have been filled by candidates from inside and outside the Department with the vacancy; the number which have been filled by persons from outside the Civil Service; and the number filled by persons from outside the wider public service. [1966/04]

View answer

A total of 75 TLAC competitions were run over the last five years between 1999 and 2003. Some 62 of the successful candidates were from inside the department or office in which the vacancy occurred. Some 13 of the successful candidates were from outside the department or office in which the vacancy occurred. Just one post was filled by a person from outside the Civil Service, although the person was from within the wider public service. No post was filled by a person from outside the public service.

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