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Civil Service Staff Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2019

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

Ceisteanna (164)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

164. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to extend the duration for which a civil servant may take a career break in order to gain private sector and-or other public service experience and-or avail of full-time study; the number of civil servants on career break in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41808/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The Career Break Scheme in the Civil Service is covered by Circular 4 of 2013. https://circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/per/2013/04.pdf

Under the terms of the Scheme, a career break consists of special leave without pay for a period of:

(a) not less than six months and not more than five years for the following reasons:

- Family reasons

- Other domestic reasons

- Travel

- Educational purposes (educational purposes may include training courses with a practical training element for which there is a nominal payment/grant made to the student), and

(b) not less than six months and not more than three years for the purpose of taking up employment in the private sector or becoming self-employed.

Working in the wider public service is excluded under the Scheme. Mobility between the civil service and public service is covered by separate secondment arrangements.

I have no plans to amend the Scheme as this point in time.

The number of civil servants commencing a career break from 2016 to date are set out below.

Year

Nos.

2016

181

2017

145

2018

190

2019

157

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