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Brexit Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2018

Tuesday, 18 December 2018

Ceisteanna (142, 144)

Lisa Chambers

Ceist:

142. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Finance the status of plans to hire customs officials due to the impact of Brexit; the number of officials expected to be hired; the number expected to be fully trained and in place as of 29 March 2019; the date by which all new hired personnel will be in place; his plans to expedite this process as a result of the decision by Prime Minister May of the United Kingdom to defer the vote on the withdrawal agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52892/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Haughey

Ceist:

144. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Finance the number of new customs officers who have been recruited in recent months to deal with Brexit; if these positions were advertised; the procedures used for the recruitment process; the way in which the successful candidates were selected; if the new customs officers will require training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52970/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 144 together.

I am advised by Revenue that they will require an additional 600 staff as a result of Brexit. This is based on the central case scenario of an orderly withdrawal, to include a transition period to the end of 2020, followed by an agreed future trading relationship between the EU and the UK. I am advised that Revenue’s preparations are focused on facilitating trade on an East West basis.

The Government approved the phased recruitment of 600 Revenue staff in September this year. Budget 2019 provides Revenue with an additional €10 million pay provision for 270 staff for Brexit, for facilitation of trade and support of businesses and trade by Revenue in processing of applications for a range of simplifications available under the Union Customs Code (UCC) that will assist businesses in mitigating some of the challenges arising from Brexit.

Since September 2018, Revenue has assigned 43 additional trade facilitation staff and plans are well advanced to have a total of 200 additional staff, across a number of functions, trained and in place by 29 March 2019. These posts are being filled from open, interdepartmental and internal Revenue competitions. An open recruitment campaign for trade facilitation roles was undertaken by the Public Appointments Service (PAS) and attracted more than 3,000 applications. This competition was advertised on the PAS website (publicjobs.ie) and also on the Revenue website to ensure that recruitment is from the widest pool of available talent and experience. Revenue also held 6 internal competitions for existing Revenue staff at Higher Executive Officer, Executive Officer and Clerical Officer level for assignment to trade facilitation roles in Dublin Port and Airport and Rosslare. Candidates were selected using methodologies such as on-line testing and competitive interviews to facilitate the identification of the best people for the posts. Recruitment for appointment to positions in Revenue is subject to the provisions of the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004 and is regulated by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) and subject to the CPSA Codes of Practice.

The additional 200 staff, the majority of whom will be working on a 24 hour/7-day week basis, will bring the total number of fully operational trade facilitation staff to over 300 by the end of the first quarter of 2019 as there were already c.100 in place at September 2018.

It is planned to recruit the balance of 70 staff provided for in Budget 2019 during the period March 2019 to December 2019. Revenue expect, in the context of the central case scenario, that they will require the additional 330 staff to be in position by the end of the transition period in 2020, and are engaged with the PAS in this regard.

In line with the ‘whole of Government’ approach to Brexit, we continue to prepare for the UK’s exit. The European Council has asked for work at national and EU level to intensify, taking account of all possible outcomes. Therefore in the event of the UK leaving without an agreement, 200 staff will be trained and in place by 29 March 2019. However accelerated recruitment of the remaining 400 staff will be required and it is intended to manage this by way of interdepartmental and open recruitment and the redeployment of existing Revenue staff, if necessary.

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