Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Dec 1995

Vol. 459 No. 3

Written Answers. - Temporary Passport Office Staff.

Bertie Ahern

Ceist:

60 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that the ten or so remaining temporary Passport Office staff (details supplied) who have served for many years in their current positions can be ensured permanent employment within the Civil Service in view of the fact that there was an understanding to this effect and these people co-operated fully with the new procedures implemented in the Passport Office. [18046/95]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

Following a survey of staffing structures in the Passport Office, conducted by the Department of Finance in 1993, a number of recommendations regarding the permanent and temporary staffing levels in the Passport Office were made. In summary, the recommendations provided for an increase in the permanent staff of the Passport Office with a consequent decrease in the number of temporary clerical assistants (TCAs) recruited during the periods of peak activity each year.

Arising from this survey, an agreement was signed between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Civil and Public Service Union (CPSU) on 8 February 1994, on the implementation of the recommendations on the staffing levels. The CPSU, who represent the TCAs in question, agreed that six clerical assistant posts would be filled by way of a special confined establishment competition for the TCAs in the Department of Foreign Affairs. In the agreement the CPSU also accepted that this TCA competition was an exceptional measure and that no further such competitions would be held in the future.

On the foot of this agreement the Civil Service Commission advertised the competition in March 1994. Some 31 candidates were interviewed by a Commission board and six appointments were subsequently made. Unfortunately, none of the TCAs in question, who were all interviewed, was successful.

I would like to record my appreciation of the hard work and dedication of all the temporary staff who work in the Passport Office. However, I regret following the implementation of the above recommendations that it is not open to me to offer permanent employment to TCAs in the Passport Office. All future recruitment to my Department will be done through the normal Civil Service Commission open competitions. Of course, it is open to all TCAs who work in my Department to apply for clerical assistant and other vacancies through the Civil Service Commission, subject to the usual qualifying conditions.