Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018
887. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of persons holding Civil Service positions above clerical officer grade in her Department who entered the Civil Service via a route other than through an open competition run by the Public Appointments Service or its predecessors; the grades of each; and the basis for the non-standard recruitment. [11852/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department was established on 2nd June 2011. Since that date, the staff who have entered the department of Children and Youth Affairs via a route other than through open competition are as follows.
Following the dissolution of the Children's Act Advisory Board on 8th September 2011, three members of staff transferred from the Board to the Department and following acceptance by the Public Appointments Service, qualified for appointment to established positions at the grades of Executive Officer and Higher Executive Officer in the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
Ministerial Appointments to the positions of Special Adviser and Civilian Driver are not subject to open competitions run by PAS but are deemed to be appointments to temporary unestablished positions in the civil service and require the sanction of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and when such appointments are made from outside the Civil Service also require the sanction of the Taoiseach. I have appointed two Special Advisers and two civilian drivers through this process.
Two individuals from the voluntary sector are on secondment to my Department for a specified period to provide specialist advice and support. They hold the unestablished positions of Economist and Early Years Communications and Consultations Lead respectively.
My Department also participates in the Willing, Able and Mentoring (WAM) Programme which offers 6 month placements at EO level to graduates with disabilities. While the Association of Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) runs this programme, it works with PAS in identifying suitable candidates for this programme.
