Brian Walsh
Ceist:93. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application to revert to a work sharing basis by a person (details supplied) will be accommodated. [43962/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 11 October 2012
Ceisteanna (93)
Freagraí scríofa
The person in question was facilitated with a position in my Department’s office in Galway on 3rd September 2012, as her previous Department were not in a position to accommodate her wish to return to work from career break.
The post offered to the person in question was a full-time post and this was made clear to her in her formal offer of transfer, and she was advised verbally prior to her commencing work in the Department. She accepted the position on this basis.
All applications for participation in the worksharing scheme are subject to the principle that the operating requirements of individual business units and the Department, as a whole, are not adversely affected. While all reasonable efforts are made to facilitate requests from staff to participate in the worksharing scheme, it is not always possible to approve such requests given the Department’s obligations to provide an acceptable level of service to its customers, particularly in the context of the current moratorium on recruitment.
Approval of applications for worksharing is, in the first instance, a matter for local management with appropriate input from HR Division. Local management in Galway have informed HR Division that they are not in a position to approve this request.
In addition, there are a number of staff in the Galway Local Office who have applied for worksharing ahead of the person in question. If local management in Galway are in a position to approve worksharing in the future, those applications must be considered before the application in question. In light of all of the above it is unlikely that approval for worksharing will be given in this case in the short to medium term.