Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 February 2006
217 Mr. P. Breen asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 523 of 14 February 2006, if any code of standards and behaviour applied to the Civil Service prior to the code that was promulgated in September 2004; if the latter code applies also to semi-State; if an alternative code applies to such employees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7901/06]
View answerThe Civil Service code of standards and behaviour was drawn up and promulgated in September 2004 pursuant to section 10(11) of the Standards in Public Office Act 2001. It applies only to civil servants and forms part of their terms of employment.
Before the promulgation of this code the Civil Service was governed by a set of principles and standards known as the personnel code. The personnel code consists of a corpus of Civil Service circulars that together set out the standards governing the conduct and behaviour of all civil servants. While not superseding the personnel code, the Civil Service code of standards and behaviour sets out in a single, consolidated document the main principles that must govern the behaviour of civil servants. The code restates and promotes the core public service values and provides a clear framework within which civil servants must work.
The Civil Service code of standards and behaviour does not apply in the commercial semi-State sector. However, the code of practice for the governance of State bodies, which was endorsed by Government in October 2001, requires that all State bodies, including the subsidiaries of such bodies, should have written codes of business conduct for directors and employees.
