Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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297. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there are exceptional circumstances which would enable a non-established long-serving civil servant in the Office of Public Works to transfer to another Government Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23341/15]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The terms and conditions of employment for non-established (State Industrial) employees precludes their transfer to other Government Departments except through open recruitment competitions, due to the specialist nature of their grades. The redeployment options as provided for under the Public Service Management Act do not allow non-established civil servants to transfer, even in exceptional circumstances.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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298. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to amend the Public Service Management Act 2013 to extend the options for redeployment of staff within the public sector, which would enable non-established civil servants, such as some employees in the Office of Public Works, to transfer to another Government Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23342/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Redeployment is designed to deal with a situation where surplus staff have been identified due to rationalisation, reorganisation, reconfiguration and restructuring of civil and public service organisations

 In my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I am responsible for the legal and policy framework governing redeployment between public bodies.  The changes I introduced through the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013 put in place a broad, detailed and enabling statutory framework for that purpose.  Section 57D of the legislation sets out the factors to be considered by the Public Appointments Service when designating a person for redeployment.  These include, for example, the competencies and qualifications of the public service employee concerned, or of the general class of employee to which he or she belongs, any collective agreement negotiated with any recognised trade union or staff association concerned relating to mobility or redeployment of public service employees, and other matters relating to the recruitment, assessment, selection and employment policies, procedures and practices of any relevant public service employer.  My Department is not aware of any specific requirement related to redeployment policy or its operational implementation that would necessitate an amendment to the legislation. 

In terms of the specific issue raised in the Deputy's question, I have asked my Department to liaise with the Office of Public Works to ascertain the circumstances that apply in that particular instance and to advise the Deputy accordingly.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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299. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has received proposals or submissions from any organisations or groups seeking amendment to the Public Service Management Act 2013 which would enable non-established civil servants to seek transfers to other Government Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23343/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Civil Service Renewal Plan, published in October 2014, includes a commitment to expand career and mobility opportunities for staff across geographic, organisational and sectoral boundaries.

The Renewal Plan contains 25 actions and it is intended that all actions will be completed within three years. Implementation has commenced with the establishment of the Civil Service Management Board and a central Programme Management Office. The arrangements which apply to non-established staff have been raised by the Office of Public Works as an issue for consideration in the implementation of the Plan, and my officials have met that Office to discuss this.

  Should any changes agreed require legislation this will be progressed by my Department.