Tony Gregory
Ceist:91 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Finance if a civil servant who is substituting for a person on a career break for more than two years has a right to that position in the event of the civil servant not returning to work.
Written Answers. - Filling of Civil Service Position.
Civil servants are appointed to a particular grade in the Civil Service and are, in general, liable to be assigned to any post in that grade as work needs require and the duration of any assignment, whether in substitution for an officer of the same grade on career break or not, does not alter that liability.
Where a civil servant has been formally assigned to perform the full duties of a post in a grade higher than his or her own, an allowance is paid. Such allowances are temporary and do not confer entitlement to promotion to the grade or post involved since promotions are governed by the Civil Service Commissioners Acts and procedures arising thereunder.
Civil servants located in provincial centres can be granted career breaks of up to five years and may return to that office subject to there being a suitable vacancy. Special arrangements, agreed with staff interests, apply to substitutions for such officers but these do not entitle a substitute to be appointed to the post after any specific period of service.