As the Deputy will be aware, transfers for Clerical Officers, who have applied prior to the formal launch of the new Civil Service Mobility scheme, are arranged in accordance with formal procedures which were agreed in 1978 with the Staff Side at General Council under the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for the Civil Service. There was no centralised system for handling these requests and in general a staff member was required to serve a minimum of two years satisfactory service. Information on this scheme is not held centrally by my Department.
Phase 1A of the new Civil Service Mobility scheme for the general service grades of CO and EO to make mobility requests within and between 46 locations (excluding within Dublin) launched on 13 November 2017. Other phases of the scheme, including Mobility within Dublin, will launch on future dates. This phase of the scheme replaces the following legacy transfer mechanisms:
- Central Transfer Lists;
- Central Application Facility (CAF);
- Organisational Internal Regional Transfer Lists.
This scheme offers an opportunity for staff members to apply for mobility (i.e. transfer) through an open, fair, and transparent system. The centralised scheme comes under the remit of my department, and is administered through HR Shared Service, National Shared Service Office. Additional information can be found at http://hr.per.gov.ie/civil-service-mobility/ and all queries relating to the scheme can be sent to mobility@per.gov.ie or mobility@peoplepoint.ie.
Staff members, who previously applied under the above mechanisms, must reapply for the new scheme and they have an opportunity to apply their original transfer application date up until close of business 7 February 2018. Local HR Divisions will have the facility to initiate offers of Mobility from the scheme with effect from 15 March 2018 and may continue to use the legacy mechanisms referred to above up until this date.
Applicants for Phase 1A of the scheme must meet the following eligibility criteria to receive an offer of Mobility:
- In their current organisation, grade and location for 2 years;
- Have successfully completed probation period;
- Have a satisfactory performance for previous working year;
- Not have accrued sick leave of 56 days or more in the previous rolling four year period;
- Not have accrued sick leave instances of 25 or more in the previous rolling four year period;
- Do not have a Performance Improvement Plan process in place;
- There is no ongoing formal investigation under the Disciplinary Code which may lead to disciplinary action;
- There is no open disciplinary process in place.
However, COs and EOs can make an application(s) regardless of eligibility and will retain their application date until they become eligible.
