Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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363. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 94 of 16 July 2014, if he will make arrangements to ensure that the information will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41201/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Public Appointments Service (PAS) advertised a competition for Clerical Officer in 2007. Following the competitive process panels of qualified individuals were established for various locations from which vacancies were filled.

The competition was held using technology which has since been replaced and records are not readily accessible to PAS. The requirement for a manual search of the records by PAS for the locations listed by the Deputy was the cause of the delay in the information being made available to me by PAS. I am now in a position to provide the Deputy the information sought and the delay is regretted.

Analysis of the records suggests that the numbers recommended for appointment were:

- Carlow/ Kilkenny- 22

- Laois/ Offaly/ Westmeath21

While the information provided refers to offers of assignment made to candidates, PAS cannot be certain that all those recommended were ultimately appointed and /or took up duty.

The competition did not include a specific stream confined to people with disabilities, therefore information in relation to this was not gathered.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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364. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the panel for the recruitment of clerical officers in the public service established in 2007-2008 be the basis for recruitment in the near future or will a new round of applications and a new panel be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41202/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Recruitment to the civil service and a range of other public bodies is handled under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 which established a central recruitment agency, the Public Appointments Service (PAS), for this purpose.  The PAS operates under licence from the Commission for Public Service Appointments and is independent in its operations.

No public service Clerical Officer panels for permanent appointment are currently active due to the lapse of time since competitions were run.  As the Deputy is aware, there has been a moratorium in place since 2008 which has severely curtailed recruitment to permanent positions, other than to those with critical replacement needs and key skills shortages.  The last competition of this type was launched in 2007 and will not be revisited for offers of appointment at this stage. 

In June of this year the Public Appointments Service (PAS) advertised a recruitment competition to fill permanent clerical positions which may arise in the civil and public Service. In excess of 28,000 applications were received. The PAS will establish panels of suitably qualified individuals from which public service organisation may draw.

Interviewing is currently underway for approximately 300 Clerical Officer positions which it is expected will be filled over the next two years. These Clerical Officers will take up positions across the Civil Service and opportunities in the the wider public service may also arise in agencies, local authorities and the HSE.