Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 13 Oct 1999

Vol. 509 No. 2

Written Answers. - Departmental Appointments.

Martin Brady

Ceist:

74 Mr. M. Brady asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the number, nature and type of staff appointments made in the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation since its establishment which were outside of Civil Service selection procedures; the basis on which these appointments were made; the procedures involved in selecting the successful candidates for the posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20163/99]

Martin Brady

Ceist:

75 Mr. M. Brady asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she has satisfied herself that a senior civil servant through the Director of Telecommunications Regulation can make a large number of civil servants effectively redundant without reference to her or the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20164/99]

Martin Brady

Ceist:

76 Mr. M. Brady asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if her attention has been drawn to the serious industrial relations problems in the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation with the consequence that its efficiency and effectiveness may be significantly impaired if they are not satisfactorily resolved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20165/99]

Martin Brady

Ceist:

77 Mr. M. Brady asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if staff appointments made outside Civil Service selection procedures in the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation since its establishment were sanctioned by her; and if she has satisfied herself that these appointments were in compliance with public sector recruitment standards. [20166/99]

Martin Brady

Ceist:

80 Mr. M. Brady asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if she will ensure that the process under which the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation appoints a permanent deputy director as is provided for in the Telecommunications (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1997, will be in accordance with TLAC procedures as agreed between management and staff representatives in her Department. [20169/99]

I propose to answer Questions Nos. 74, 75, 76, 77 and 80 together.

The arrangements for the appointment of staff, in the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation are matters for the director to determine in accordance with the provisions of section 12(b) of the first schedule to the Telecommunications (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1996.

Since the establishment of the office, my Department, together with the management of the ODTR and the staff associations and unions concerned, have been involved in ongoing discussions regarding the staffing arrangements for the ODTR. I am aware that some of the 20 or so members of the engineering staff of my Department who are working in the ODTR since 1997, and who are engaged on functions formerly the responsibility of my Department, have raised concerns about their status within the ODTR. I want to assure all civil servants working in the office that they enjoy the same terms and conditions of employment as they did prior to the ODTR's establishment and that no changes to those terms and conditions can come about unless agreed either individually or collectively. These commitments will be enshrined in legislation in the forthcoming Telecommunications Regulatory Bill. The question of making staff redundant does not, therefore, arise.

The status of the position of deputy director is that the director has designated a current member of staff to act as deputy director. As provided in section 15 of the First Schedule to the Act, this arises only to cover periods of unavailability by the director.

Barr
Roinn