Public Sector Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 February 2014

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Ceisteanna (258)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

258. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the traditional mandatory time period which persons who leave the Civil Service must observe before being permitted to apply for another job in the Civil Service is waived in respect of persons moving to Irish Water or other new State-funded agencies; if he will provide a list of all instances where this requirement has been waived in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4916/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I wish to advise the Deputy that, in general, there is no mandatory period of time that a civil servant must observe before being permitted to apply for or take-up another appointment in the civil or public service. Section 20 of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour requires that any civil servant intending to be engaged in or connected with any outside business with which he or she had official dealings, or any outside business that might gain an unfair advantage over its competitors by employing him or her, must inform an appropriate authority of such an intention.  

The Code provides that such civil servants shall not, within twelve months of resigning or retiring from the service, accept an offer of appointment from an employer outside the civil service or accept an engagement in a particular consultancy project, which could lead to a conflict of interest, without first obtaining approval from the appropriate authority.  This requirement also applies to civil servants who hold positions which are designated positions for purposes of the Ethics Acts.