The recruitment and promotion moratorium announced on Friday 27th March 2009 applies to the civil service, local authorities, non-commercial state bodies, the Garda Síochána and the Permanent Defence Forces. It is not an embargo.
An embargo would imply that no filling of vacancies whatsoever could take place. The Minister for Finance has the authority to allow for the filling of some vacancies in very exceptional circumstances. The Government decision also provides that vacancies may be filled by redeployment of staff from other Departments or public bodies with the sanction of the Department of Finance. In addition, arrangements for the health and education sectors have been modulated to ensure that key services are maintained insofar as possible.
The position regarding persons on panels arising from Civil Service competitions is that panels from open competitions generally stay in place until the next competition is held. Interdepartmental promotion panels have a definite life span and this is agreed centrally with the relevant Civil Service union. In the context of the Moratorium, a decision has been taken that interdepartmental promotion panels will be allowed to lapse as the closure dates are reached. Decisions in respect of Departmental promotion panels are taken at Departmental level.
In respect of the wider public service, decisions on the continuation or otherwise of recruitment panels is a matter for the relevant Minister and organisation, in the context of the Moratorium.
Decisions in respect of future recruitment campaigns will be taken in the context of the business needs of the relevant organisation, the Moratorium on recruitment and promotion and any redeployment arrangements agreed for the civil and public service.
