Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 172: To ask the Minister for Finance the system in place to allow for transfers of service office staff between Departments; the way swaps are currently organised; if a centralised organised system exists to facilitate same; and if so, if he will provide the contact details. [13415/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Transfers across the Civil Service are arranged by various mechanisms: 'Head-for Head' transfers which are organised between individual officers on the basis of personal contacts; the Central Applications Facility (CAF) for officers who wish to move to locations designated under the Decentralisation Programme and the 'Dublin Arrangements' which facilitate the backfilling of posts in Dublin for the pool of officers who do not wish to decentralise. Head-for Head transfers must be approved by the relevant Personnel Officers while both of the decentralisation transfer systems are administered by the Public Appointments Service.

Services Officers may apply for Head-for-Head transfers and may register their interest in moving to a decentralising Department or Office by making an application on the CAF. Discussions have been ongoing between my Department and the relevant union in relation to the inclusion of Services Officer posts on the 'Dublin Arrangements' system. Pending agreement, the arrangements have been utilised successfully in respect of a number of Services Officer posts on a case-by-case basis and it is intended to continue with this approach.