Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 508: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will confirm that he intends to second clerical officer(s), executive officer(s) and higher executive officers to the permanent representation in Brussels arising from Ireland holding the EU Presidency next year; the number of posts in each grade that are involved; if he will state for each grade the number of male and female applicants that applied: if he will state for each grade the number of male and female applicants that were short-listed for interview; if he will state for each grade the number of male and female applicants that were successfully placed on a panel for possible appointment; if he will detail where there is any review channel for candidates that are unhappy at decisions made during the recruitment process; if so the number of complaints received by grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24893/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The disposition of staff in my Department is a matter for the Secretary General and is executed through the Human Resources Division. I can inform the Deputy, however, that my Department, in similar fashion to other Departments, as part of its planning for Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will be assigning staff to Ireland's Permanent Representation in Brussels later this year. Five staff in the grades referenced by the Deputy will be assigned.

The detailed information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table below:

* It was open to Higher Executive Officers or Administrative Officers to apply for the posts. All HEOs/AOs who applied were shortlisted for interview. One HEO withdrew from the interview.

My Department is committed to policies conducive to promoting equal opportunities for all its staff regardless of their gender. My Department conducted this selection process in an open fashion, first seeking preliminary expressions of interest from relevant staff and then subsequently inviting those staff to submit formal applications. The requirements on applicants and the selection processes themselves were set out clearly in all communications to staff. The nature of all competitive processes, as the Deputy will appreciate, is that there will be disappointed applicants at its conclusion. I am advised that no formal complaints have been submitted in respect of the process referenced by the Deputy. Should any applicant wish to raise concerns regarding any decision this can be done via the Human Resources Division of my Department. Should any applicant wish to avail of feedback this too can be facilitated in a similar fashion.