Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 December 2023
209. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform if previous experience in the North’s civil service is taken as relevant experience by the State’s civil service when it comes to deciding where to place a new hire from the North’s civil service on the pay scale here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53892/23]
View answerSubject to the provisions of relevant policies, prior experience working in the public service of other European Union Member states is treated in the same manner as prior experience working in the Irish public service for the purposes of determining starting pay in the Irish civil service.
Following the UK's decision to leave the EU, previous service in the UK public service continues to be treated in the same manner as other EU Member States.
This position is consistent with section 8 of the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and Irish Governments concerning the Common Travel Area and associated reciprocal rights and privileges, attached for information.
Accordingly, previous experience in the Northern Ireland Civil Service may be reckonable under the following policies overseen by my Department;
• Circular 08/2019 provides that appointees to the civil service who are moving from posts elsewhere in the public service to what is deemed to be an analogous grade and pay scale may be appointed at the current point of scale.
• Circular 21/2004, 16/2005 and 40/2007 provides for incremental credit for previous service for the grades of Clerical Officer, Executive Officer and a number of specific entry level grades. The relevant circulars are attached for the Deputy's information.
It is a matter for the recruiting Department/Office to satisfy itself that either analogous or incremental grades conditions exist.
