Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Ceisteanna (428)

Finian McGrath

Ceist:

428. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the Commission for Public Service Appointments conducted an investigation into a complaint that solicitors were not eligible to apply for positions as advisory counsel in the Office of the Attorney General; if he will detail the outcomes and results of the investigation; the reason this report has not been published by the Commission for Public Service Appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13258/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I am advised by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) that it examined a complaint concerning the eligibility requirements for recruitment to the position of Advisory Counsel (Grade III) in the Office of the Attorney General. The complaint was received from the Law Society of Ireland. Complaints made to the CPSA are confidential to the parties concerned in this case the Law Society of Ireland and the Office of the Attorney General. The CPSA does not generally publish reports detailing the examination of complaints but does include summaries of such outcomes in its Annual Report.

A summary of the outcome on this complaint was included in the CPSA Annual Report for 2011 in the section headed Complaints / Requests for Review and, in this particular instance, the CPSA issued a Press Release to highlight its findings.  The CPSA Annual Report 2011 is available atttp://www.cpsa.ie/en/Publications/Annual-Reports/2011-Annual-Report/cpsa_AR_2011_en/index.html