Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2015
298. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to amend the Public Service Management Act 2013 to extend the options for redeployment of staff within the public sector, which would enable non-established civil servants, such as some employees in the Office of Public Works, to transfer to another Government Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23342/15]
View answerRedeployment is designed to deal with a situation where surplus staff have been identified due to rationalisation, reorganisation, reconfiguration and restructuring of civil and public service organisations
In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am responsible for the legal and policy framework governing redeployment between public bodies. The changes I introduced through the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013 put in place a broad, detailed and enabling statutory framework for that purpose. Section 57D of the legislation sets out the factors to be considered by the Public Appointments Service when designating a person for redeployment. These include, for example, the competencies and qualifications of the public service employee concerned, or of the general class of employee to which he or she belongs, any collective agreement negotiated with any recognised trade union or staff association concerned relating to mobility or redeployment of public service employees, and other matters relating to the recruitment, assessment, selection and employment policies, procedures and practices of any relevant public service employer. My Department is not aware of any specific requirement related to redeployment policy or its operational implementation that would necessitate an amendment to the legislation.
In terms of the specific issue raised in the Deputy's question, I have asked my Department to liaise with the Office of Public Works to ascertain the circumstances that apply in that particular instance and to advise the Deputy accordingly.
