Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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86. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding redeployment on civil servants on career breaks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46718/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The arrangements for the Career Break Scheme for civil servants were revised in 2013 and are set out in Circular 4/2013.

All staff going on career break following the introduction of the new scheme on 22/2/2013 are covered by the arrangements set out in Circular 4/2013. Staff who were already on career break at the time the revised scheme was introduced were permitted to remain on career break under the terms of the original circular (18/1998).

Circular 4/2013 revoked the specific instructions which are referred to in the details supplied with the Deputy question as follows:

- Circular 18/1998

- Letter to Personnel Officers dated 3/3/2008 - Special leave without pay for career breaks in: Amendments to Circular 18/98 in relation to Eligibility and Duration and Purpose.

- Letter to Personnel Officers dated 18/3/2009 - Special leave without pay for career breaks and resumption of duty. This sets out provisions relating to resumption of duty, reassignment to another Department and persons who fail to indicate their intention to return to duty.

The details provided by the Deputy refer to Paragraph 23 of Circular 18/1998 and the return to work of a staff member following a career break. This paragraph states that where an officer indicates that s/he wishes to resume duty, s/he will be assigned to the next appropriate vacancy to be filled following the expiry of the career break, with a guarantee of re-employment in a relevant grade (not necessarily in his/her existing Department) within twelve months of the expiry of the career break.

Civil service organisations therefore have, under the new and the previous scheme, up to twelve months after the expiry of the career break to make an offer of employment. That offer is subject to there being an appropriate vacancy in the employing organisation. Where a civil service organisation considers that it is unlikely that a vacancy will arise for an individual returning from career break, the onus is on the organisation to ensure the person is put on the PAS redeployment panel and inform the individual of this and the fact that s/he will be circulated with redeployment vacancies.

The detail of this process is set out in the "",(revised in October 2014) and agreed with the staff unions, which sets out the background and the process for staff returning from career break who are put on the redeployment panel.

If it is not possible to make a reasonable offer within the 12 month period after the expiry of the career break, the possibility of facilitating the civil servant on a supernumerary basis must be explored. Where the civil servant refuses a reasonable offer of work, the Department is under no further obligation to provide employment and can deem a refusal to be a resignation.

The administration of the Career Break Scheme is a matter for each individual Department/Office. The Circulars and Letter to Personnel Officers are available on. Information on redeployment is available at/.