Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 July 2012

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

Ceisteanna (590)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

604 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of clerical officers, executive officers, higher executive officers and assistant principal officers who replied to the advertisement to work in the Dublin office of his Department dealing with work associated with Ireland holding the EU presidency in 2013; if he will detail the criteria and other aspects of the selection process used to select the successful candidates; when the interviews were held; the expected durations of these appointments; the number of appointments that have been made by grade to date; if he expects further appointments to be made; if the staff members selected will receive additional salary and or pay; if so, he will detail the nature of the payments involved for each grade; his views on whether the selection process was carried out according to the various codes issued by the Commission for Public Appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35253/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality (Deputy Alan Shatter)

The disposition of staff in my Department is a matter for the Secretary General and is executed through the Human Resources Division.

The numbers of staff in the various grades who expressed an interest in the work referred to is as in the table below:

	Assistant Principal Officer	Higher Executive Officer/ Administrative Officer	Executive Officer	Clerical Officer
Number of expressions of interest	25	38	83	86

The Deputy should note that any staff assignments arising from the expressions of interest in this case would represent lateral transfers of staff in cases where the Human Resource Division of my Department sought to effect such transfers. Staff of my Department transfer within their own grade as a matter of course and this is routine. Therefore, no selection process, interviews or time bound assignments arise in the fashion referenced by the Deputy. The staffing requirement to discharge an effective Presidency is being kept under review and appropriate transfers will arise accordingly consistent with meeting the full range of demands on the Department.

I can confirm for the sake of clarity that where staff transfer in this fashion no additional payments arise.

Finally, I am also advised that the Commission for Public Service Appointments code does not apply to transfers of staff as would be the case herein.