Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2024
354. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will examine an anomaly within local authorities in the recruitment of engineer grades (details supplied); if there will be a review of the current situation given that many local authorities are struggling to fill and attract talent to skilled roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22666/24]
View answerSection 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides the Minister with the power to declare qualifications of such classes and descriptions as he or she thinks fit for a specified employment under a local authority or for such of the employments as belong to a specified class, description or grade. Orders made under section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001 declaring qualifications for engineering roles in the local government sector are available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/c450a-engineering-services-in-local-authorities-qualifications/.
The recruitment and filling of posts in the local authority sector is undertaken both by individual local authorities and the Public Appointments Service depending on the level and tenure of the post concerned. Section 160(1)(c) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that a person is not be appointed to any employment under a local authority for which qualifications are for the time being declared under section 160 unless he or she possesses those qualifications.
My Department undertakes reviews of declared qualifications as necessary and has recently commenced a review of the suite of current engineering qualifications declared under section 160 of the Local Government Act 2001. The purpose of the review is to determine if changes are required in order that the qualifications are appropriate and relevant to the role of an engineer at the various engineering levels in a local authority.
