Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 July 2012

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

Questions (596, 597)

Finian McGrath

Question:

610 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the date on which the internal promotion competitions were last held for the following grades, promotion to principal officer, promotion to assistant principal officer, promotion to higher executive officer and promotion to staff officer or executive officer; the number of applications for each grade and the numbers placed on panels for possible appointments; the numbers from each panel that has been appointed to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35356/12]

Finian McGrath

Question:

611 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will detail for each internal promotional competition whether prior approval was obtained from the Department of Finance; if he will detail for each competition the costs incurred by his Department in holding them; if any of the competitions gave rise to complaints under the code of the Commission for Public Service Appointments; when new promotional competitions are likely to be held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35357/12]

Written answers

Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 610 and 611 together. In respect of internal promotion competitions for the grades identified by the Deputy the following table provides the relevant details:

	Promotion to Principal Officer	Promotion to Assistant Principal Officer	Promotion to Higher Executive Officer	Promotion to Executive Officer	Promotion to Staff Officer
Competition last advertised	19 May 2010	26 October 2010	21 May 2010	12 August 2010	12 August 2010
Number of Applications received	74	123	59	450	430
Number placed on panels	16	20	20	20	21
Number appointed to date	5	3	1	None	None
Costs incurred	€4,170.00	€2,229.80	€243.80	€12,238.	10 total cost for SO/EO competition

The costs set out above relate to payments to external interview board members, refreshments for interview boards and in relation to the Staff Officer/Executive Officer competitions the Department's contribution to Public Appointments Service costs.

As the Deputy will be aware in March 2009 the Government introduced a moratorium on the filling of vacancies in the public service, either by way of recruitment or promotion. Normally sanction is not received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to run internal competitions, however sanction has to be obtained to effect any promotions. I am advised the necessary sanctions to make the above promotions were obtained.

In respect of the five competitions held above no complaints arose in respect of four of them, three complaints were made in respect of the promotion to Assistant Principal Officer competition.

It is not envisaged that any internal promotion competitions will be held any sooner that 30 June 2013 as the present panels for all grades are in place until then.