Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2022
135. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the continued advertisement of non-established grade positions in the Office of Public Works even though there are well established concerns regarding the ability of OPW guides employed as non-established civil servants to access promotion in the broader public sector. [22497/22]
View answerThe OPW employs approximately 2500 staff across a wide range of craft, technical, administrative, and management disciplines. All staff have important roles to play that bring great value to those availing of OPW services. While there are many different grades and classifications of employee involved, the OPW values all of its staff equally and works hard to minimise the impact of the historical differences in Terms and Conditions that apply between the employment categories involved so that the organisation is one team – one OPW.
Guides in the Office of Public Works are technically classified as “industrial employees” and are recruited to the OPW in a non-established capacity. They enjoy the same Terms & Conditions as “industrial employees” in other areas of the civil service.
A non-established State employee is a person employed in a whole-time capacity by a Government Department or Office who is not an established civil servant. Non-established State employees are not covered by the Civil Service Regulations Act, 1956.
Like all non-established State employees, Guides in the OPW have access to all open competitions for posts in the civil and public service. It is, however, the case that competitions initiated under the Civil Service Regulations Acts are confined to staff who have Civil Servant status.
