Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Finance his plans to amend the provisions of the Code of Conduct for Civil Servants relating to the acceptance of outside appointments and of consultancy work following resignation or retirement as per commitment in the revised Programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45337/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour provides that civil servants who hold positions which are designated positions for the purposes of the Ethics Acts shall not, within 12 months of resigning or retiring from the service:- (a) accept an offer of appointment from an employer outside the Civil Service or (b) accept an engagement in a particular consultancy project where the nature of such appointment or engagement could lead to a conflict of interest, without first obtaining approval from the appropriate authority.

In respect of staff below the grade of Assistant Secretary the appropriate authority is the Secretary General/Head of Office and in the case of staff at Assistant Secretary or above the appropriate authority is the Outside Appointments Board.

The terms of the renewed programme for Government provide for the extension of the above provisions to all public servants. I am taking steps to ensure that work on the extension of the Civil Service provisions is advanced in each sector. This work will include consultations with the appropriate stakeholders.