Mr. Tadhg O'Leary:

HEO is not an entry level grade to the Civil Service and traditionally has not been. The Department is slightly unusual in that we have HEOs who are directly providing services, whereas most Departments would not expect that at the HEO level. If panels were to become available, however, whether they were interdepartmental or open, we would engage very directly and would be very interested in using those panels, because it is a difficulty for us as our only source for HEOs is interdepartmental or internal. As there is not an Irish language stream available, it does, as Mr. Brown was saying, raise difficulties where retirement takes place.