Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

284. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his attention has been drawn to an anomaly which is deterring mobility within the wider public service (details supplied); his plans to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14832/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In general, a person being appointed to a post in the public service by way of open competition will start at the minimum of the scale in accordance with the rules of the recruitment competition. While this policy had applied for many years, increased levels of recruitment to the Civil Service following the lifting of the moratorium gave rise to queries in respect of the appropriate pay point at which existing public/civil servants should be assimilated. It was recognised that starting at the minimum of the scale was a barrier to mobility where the successful candidates were existing public servants seeking a new appointment elsewhere in the public service at an analogous grade.

In the context of Action 15 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan "to expand career and mobility opportunities for staff across geographic, organisational and sectoral boundaries and the matter will be examined in further detail" it was decided to review the policy relating to the starting pay of appointees from elsewhere in the public service, to the Civil Service.

Such appointees had been treated as new entrants to the Civil Service and appointments were made at the minimum of the scale.  It was decided that with effect from 30th November 2015, where the appointee had been serving elsewhere in the public service in analogous grade and pay-scale, the appointment could be made at the appointee's current point of scale. This meant that such appointees could be assimilated on their current pay point on the same basis as a civil servant.  Appointees would be required to mark time where their current salary was not an exact match in respect of incremental points.

The revised arrangements outlined above apply only to appointments in an analogous grade and pay-scale and not to appointments to a higher grade which would be considered as a promotion.

In respect of the Civil Service, officers who secure promotion by way of internal competition, either via interdepartmental or departmental competition, have their starting pay calculated under the provisions of Circular 34/77 Starting Pay on Promotion or Establishment. In general, this means the minimum of the scale of the new post where the officer is currently on a lower point or, if more beneficial, at a point equivalent to existing pay plus accrued increment, if any, plus an immediate increment on the new scale.

Where an officer secures a higher post by way of open competition, paragraph 11 of Circular 34/77 applies and this provides that the starting pay of such officers is determined by the entry pay provisions of the Conditions of Service prescribed for the particular competition. In most cases this will mean appointment at the minimum of the scale unless there is specific provision otherwise but in some cases an officer may enter the scale of the new grade above the minimum on an off-scale point.  Essentially this allows the officer to retain their current level of pay on a mark time basis.

Currently there are no formal arrangements in place allowing similar treatment of staff moving from other State bodies to the Civil Service. However, in light of the wider use of open recruitment to the Civil Service, my Department is conducting a review of policies in this area.