I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together.
As part of the reform of the public service, the Government is committed to the introduction of new skills and talent across all Departments. In the Programme for Government we have said that appointments at Principal Officer level and above will be open to external competition.
Since the introduction of the moratorium on recruitment and promotion in March 2009 no general open recruitment campaigns at principal officer level and above have taken place for positions in the civil service. Some specialised recruitment has taken place where there is a clear and targeted identification of specific skills needs.
Decisions in respect of future recruitment campaigns will be taken in the context of the business needs of the relevant organisation, the moratorium on recruitment and promotion and any redeployment arrangements agreed for the civil and public service.
Since 5 March 2011 there have been 5 appointments at PO1 level to posts in the civil service. One appointee came from the private sector, two from the civil service and the other 2 from the wider public sector.
In relation to appointments above Principal Officer level, the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) holds competitions for and advises Ministers/ Government, as appropriate, on appointments to civil service posts at Secretary General, Deputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary and equivalent levels. Since early 2007 the policy has been that open competitions are held for Assistant Secretary and Deputy Secretary and equivalent posts. More recently this policy has been extended to Secretary General posts. In the past TLAC did not make recommendations in relation to the filling of a small number of Secretary General posts including that of Secretary General in the Department of Finance. That post was recently advertised openly as was the Comptroller and Auditor General post.
Since 5 March, 2011 there have been 22 appointments made at Assistant Secretary level and upwards. Out of the 22 appointments 3 were from outside the civil service and were at Assistant Secretary level.