Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 February 2019

Wednesday, 13 February 2019

Questions (86)

Willie Penrose

Question:

86. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress made to date in terms of appointments from the panels of competitions held for clerical officer in the Civil Service in 2018; when persons who have participated in the stage 3 of the selection process and are well placed on the panels for appointment on the counties Longford and Westmeath panels are likely to be reached in 2019; the number of persons recruited from these competitions in counties Longford or Westmeath to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7382/19]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

As the Deputy will be aware the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is an independent, statutory body which provides professional recruitment and selection services to the civil and public service.

The PAS advertised a regional recruitment competition for Clerical Positions in the Civil Service in June, 2018 which attracted over 14,000 applications. This competition is being held in order to create panels of qualified individuals from which departments could draw when filling sanctioned vacancies.

The number of positions available to any particular panel depends on the demand from departments/offices and that demand is subject to their pay and numbers allocation. While every effort is made to make sure that panels are not large, placement on panels is no guarantee of appointment to a position.

Clerical Officer panels for Longford and Westmeath were established in November 2018 and I understand that PAS have not yet assigned candidates from either panel.