Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 September 2019
233. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of civil servants that have left and-or retired from his Department in the past ten years that were bound by a cooling-off period in respect of taking up new employment in the private sector by grade, year and sector the staff moved on to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38158/19]
View answer234. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of civil servants that have left and-or retired from his Department in the past ten years that were not bound by a cooling-off period in respect of taking up new employment in the private sector by grade, year, and sector the staff moved on to; the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38174/19]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 233 and 234 together.
The Department of Rural and Community Development was established on the 19th July 2017 to provide a renewed and consolidated focus on rural and community development in Ireland.
The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour provides the framework regarding the acceptance of outside appointments for those who have left or retired from the Department.
The Code provides that Civil servants shall not within twelve months of resigning or retiring from the Civil Service, accept an appointment, or particular consultancy project, where the nature and terms of such appointment could lead to a conflict of interest or the perception of such, without first obtaining the approval of the Outside Appointments Board or the Secretary General or Head of Office as appropriate. Additionally, civil servants who hold positions which are “designated positions” for the purposes of the Ethics Acts must, within twelve months of resigning or retiring, obtain the approval of the Outside Appointments Board or the Secretary General or Head of Office as appropriate before taking up any outside appointment.
To date, no applications seeking approval have been received by the Department of Rural and Community Development, in this context.
