Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Finance his views on the common pool for recruitment to promotional positions in local authorities, the Health Service Executive and vocational educational committees amongst others; if he will provide more promotional positions to open competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36481/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The common recruitment system for Clerical/Administrative grades has been in place for over twenty years. The system provides for the filling of certain posts (at Grade IV to VII level) by competition confined to employees of Health Boards, Local Authorities, VECs, Institutes of Technology and certain other health and local government agencies (known as the "Common Recruitment Pool"). Issues in relation to the common recruitment pool were addressed in the Social Partnership Agreement "Sustaining Progress" when the social partners agreed to conduct a cross-sectoral review of recruitment issues pertinent to the grades concerned including the issue of greater accessibility and the introduction of a graduate entry level.

The recommendations of the Review Group established to review the issues were reflected in the discussions and agreement reached on the successor social partnership agreement "Towards 2016" concluded by the social partners. The "Towards 2016" Agreement provides for the implementation of arrangements whereby 20% of the posts at Grades V to VII would be filled by open competition, specialist posts would continue to be filled by open competition and to provide for recruitment and entry at graduate level. Under the "Towards 2016" Agreement the implementation of the provisions regarding the common recruitment pool is a matter for the relevant sectors where the pool operates.