Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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271. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the next higher executive officer open competition for the Civil Service will be held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1177/16]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware from my answer to her previous PQ on this matter (ref; 33509/15), the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent centralised provider of professional recruitment, assessment and selection services for the Civil Service.

The initiation of an inter-departmental or open recruitment campaign for any particular civil service grade is determined by factors such as the requirements identified in workforce planning and the need to establish priorities for targeted recruitment into the civil service to meet specific service and skill needs. 

As part of the review of targeted recruitment into the civil service in 2016, the question of holding an open and inter-departmental competitions for the Higher Executive Officer will be considered.