Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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102. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons recruited into the civil service in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 on panels specifically reserved for those with a competency in Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38691/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent recruiter for appointments to the civil service. All recruitment is demand-led and PAS undertakes competitions on behalf of the civil service to establish panels that may be drawn upon as vacancies arise in Government Departments or Offices.

Irish speaking candidates may apply for general civil service roles by way of specific bilingual competitions or, alternatively, they may apply for non-bilingual competitions and note their expression of interest for Irish-speaking or bilingual posts.Separate ad hoc specialist competitions may also be held periodically for more technical roles that require Irish fluency such as Aistritheoir, Parliamentary Reporter and School Inspector.

It should be noted that the placement of any candidate on a particular competition panel is not an offer of employment. Recruitment is demand led and a panel may be drawn upon as and when vacancies arise during the lifetime of the panel.

Details of general service vacancies filled by Irish language candidates during the period 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2021 are set out below:

This is in addition to specialist vacancies filled by Irish language candidates during the period 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2021, details of which are set out below:

A nationwide Irish language Clerical Officer competition is presently underway for the Civil Service by PAS. I understand that PAS will commence planning for a new Irish language Executive Officer competition during Q3 2021.

The Deputy will be aware that the Official Languages (Amendment) Bill 2019, currently before the Houses of the Oireachtas, proposes a 20% Irish language fluency target for all new hires to the public service by 2030 in line with Programme for Government commitments. The implementation of the Government’s Rural Development Strategy “Our Rural Future” that was launch in March by the Minister for Community and Rural Development, may also provide enhanced opportunities for Irish-speaking roles in the public service in the years ahead.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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103. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way in which the recent recruitment process for the vacant position of Secretary General of the Department of Health was advertised; the number of advertisements placed in publications and through social media; the number of applicants for the position; the number of international applicants; the number of persons on the interview board; the qualifications and gender of each; the number that reached the final interview; if the successful candidate was chosen from a final list of suitably qualified individuals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31333/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the selection process for the appointment to the position of Secretary General in the Department of Health was undertaken by the Top Level Appointments Committee (TLAC) with the assistance of the Public Appointments Service (PAS).

The position of Secretary General in the Department of Health was openly advertised on 8 January 2021. Applications for this competition closed on 28 January 2021.

In addition to being published by PAS on its publicjobs.ie portal, the position was extensively advertised through social media (LinkedIn and Twitter) as well as national and international advertisements placed online with the Journal of American Medical Association, New Zealand Medical Association, Canadian Medical Association, Medical Journal of Australia, Irish Times, RecruitIreland, Guardian UK and the Health Service Journal.

PAS also issued job alerts by email and text message to those who have registered their interest in positions at this level on the publicjobs.ie website. TLAC has also circulated it to Civil Service Departments as well as other Public Service Bodies.

In relation to the TLAC selection process, PAS convenes a Preliminary Interview Board to review all eligible applications, identifying a shortlist of candidates who were invited to attend a Preliminary Interview.

This Preliminary Panel explores each shortlisted candidate’s CV, track record, competencies and suitability in regard to the post under consideration.

Based on the interview and documentation, the function of this Preliminary Interview Board is to identify those candidates who, in the Board’s judgement, are suitable for progression to final interview, generally to a maximum of 5 candidates.

Candidates successful at the Preliminary Interview stage will then be recommended for a final interview with a sub-panel of TLAC.

TLAC may then recommend up to 3 names in alphabetical order who, in its judgement, meet the required criteria.

Given the role of TLAC as an independent body to support Government in considering appointments to senior civil service positions, I know that the Deputy will appreciate that I must respect the integrity, confidentiality and independence of the constituent TLAC processes.

In relation to the TLAC competition for the post of Secretary General in the Department of Health, I can confirm to the Deputy that there were a total of 23 applications received for the position. Of the 23 applications received, 20 identified as being Irish nationals and 3 identified as being international. 3 candidates were shortlisted for final consideration under the TLAC process. All 3 shortlisted candidates identified as being Irish.

In this instance, I am informed that the Preliminary Interview Board established by PAS comprised of:

I am also informed that the sub-panel of TLAC comprised of: