Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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346. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans regarding the internal promotion mechanism in Departments, the filling of vacancies and the issue in respect of external competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18435/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, in general, promotion within the Irish Civil Service takes place by way of;

- competitions confined to particular Departments (Internal promotion) or

- from competitions open to candidates from all Departments (Interdepartmental promotion) or

- from open competitions to all qualifying candidates including members of the public

Candidates who are successful in all competitions are ranked in order of merit and are placed on panels to await appointment when and if a vacancy arises. Promotions are made on the basis of a agreed method of sequences for promotion and recruitment. Sequences vary for each grade and usually involve a combination of open, Interdepartmental and Internal panels.

Increasingly the policy has been for more open recruitment. In 2015 the Civil Service Arbitration Board agreed to more open recruitment for the Assistant Principal and Principal Officer grades. 

More open recruitment and more competitive promotion procedures are needed as part of the continued modernisation of the Civil Service so that it can recruit and promote the staff required to advise the Government and implement its policies in an increasingly complex and fast-changing society and economy. 

The rationale underpinning this policy is to allow the Civil Service attract staff with the wide range of skills and experience needed in a modern public administration, to actively manage the challenges of an ageing workforce, to ensure that all appointments in the Civil Service draws on the widest possible pool of available talent, and to provide more open development opportunities for all staff.