Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 19 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 5

Written Answers - Civil Service Employment.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

66 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Finance the current procedures for the re-employment of women who left the Civil Service on marriage; if their cases can be dealt with on compassionate grounds; the special provision, if any, there is for employing them; and the age limit which pertains. [7599/97]

Minister for Finance (Mr. Quinn)

In general, entry to the Civil Service must be by way of open competition. Section 11 of the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956, as amended by the Civil Service (Employment of Married Women) Act, 1973 provided for the reinstatement to their former positions of women who resigned from the Civil Service for marriage-related reasons and who fulfilled specific criteria. The Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Act, 1996 repealed the statutory provisions and, consequently, the only avenue of re-entry to the Civil Service now open to women who resigned on marriage is by competing in and being successful at an open competition run by the Civil Service Commissioners.

In order to alleviate the consequences of the repeal of the reinstatement scheme, the next two series of clerical assistant and executive officer competitions will include provision for special sub-panels which will be composed soley of former civil servants but will not differentiate on grounds of gender or marital status. It is hoped that this initiative will go some way towards facilitating the re-entry to the Civil Service of women who resigned on marriage. As the Deputy is aware, competitions for recruitment to the Civil Service are run by the Civil Service Commissioners and are advertised in the daily papers from time to time. It is envisaged that competitions for appointment as executive officer and clerical assistant will be advertised during the course of the year.

Since the early 1990s the age limit applying to general service recruitment grades has been 50. This limit is currently under review.