Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 September 2019
193. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of civil servants who have left and or retired from his Department in the past ten years who were bound by a cooling-off period in respect of taking up new employment in the private sector by grade, year and sector the staff moved on to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38147/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra194. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of civil servants who have left and or retired from his Department in the past ten years who were not bound by a cooling-off period in respect of taking up new employment in the private sector by grade, year, and sector the staff moved on to; the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38163/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together.
Under Section 4 of the Official Secrets Act, 1963 each civil servant is prohibited from communicating official information unless they are authorised to do so in the course of, and in accordance with, their official duties, or where it is their duty in the interest of the State to communicate it. Every Civil Service employee signs their obligations under the Act upon commencement of employment in the Service. On leaving employment in the Civil Service an individual remains bound by the obligations on civil servants in relation to secrecy in the transaction of official business as provided for in the Act, regardless of their subsequent employment.
In addition, all Civil Servants are required to adhere to the Civil Service code Of Standards and Behaviour published by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) who oversee compliance with Standards and Ethics in Public Office.
