Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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170. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when internal vacancies in the Civil Service will be centrally advertised, as proposed in the reform plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46361/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I understand that the Deputy is interested in Action 15 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan which aims to improve mobility arrangements in the civil and public service.

Under the Civil Service Plan, my Department in conjunction with the Civil Service Management Board is examining ways to improve mobility.  

As the Deputy will be aware there are currently no formal arrangements for the transfer of staff between the different sectors of the public service. While, for example, expressions of interest did allow for some movement between sectors such moves were, in the main, designed to address specific skills shortages.

In the civil service the Central Transfer Scheme (CTS) for Clerical Officers was negotiated with the Staff Side Unions in 1978. It provides for cross-Departmental transfer arrangements and is a mechanism for filling clerical vacancies in provincial locations.

Each department with provincial offices maintains a list, in order of the application date, of clerical staff who are seeking a transfer. The scheme is central in the sense that a department must accept applications from officers of other Civil Service departments.