Written answers

Thursday, 16 December 2021

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Civil Service

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

285. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons placed on the present panel for the position of Irish language executive officer based on a competition announced in 2019; the number of these who have been offered positions; the number remaining on the panel; when this panel will be finished and a new competition held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62607/21]

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the independent, statutory body that provides professional recruitment and selection services to the civil service.

PAS forms panels for general civil service positions that candidates are assigned from as and when vacancies are notified to PAS by civil service employers. All recruitment is demand led and candidates are advised that placement on a particular panel is no guarantee of appointment to a position arising from their participation in a particular competition.

In relation to the 2019 Executive Officer with fluency in Irish Language competition, PAS has advised that a total of 88 candidates were successful at final interview stage and placed on a panel. 35 candidates have subsequently been assigned to civil service employers, with a further 2 undergoing security and clearance checks for assignment in the coming weeks. At this time, there are presently 44 candidates remaining on the panel.

The panels established from this 2019 competition will expire on 31 December 2021 and new competitions will be advertised by PAS in late January 2022 that may be used to fill vacancies arising over the next 2 years.

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

286. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the competition for Irish language executive officer had two choices for candidate to choose from, interdepartmental and open competition; the difference between them; if applicants could opt to be on both; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62608/21]

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Recruitment to the civil service may be way of open competition or by confined promotional competitions for existing civil servants on an internal (within one Department/Office) or interdepartmental (across all Departments/Offices) basis. The panels established from each competition are used to fill vacancies as they arise during the lifetime of the panels.

As the Deputy is aware, the Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the principal recruiter of the civil service. In 2019, PAS undertook Open and Interdepartmental competitions on behalf of all civil service employers for Executive Officers with fluency in the Irish Language.

Existing civil servants may have applied for both competitions provided they met the eligibility criteria specified for each competition undertaken by PAS. As the competencies to be assessed as part of the selection process were identical, a candidate who opted to apply for both competitions was only permitted to sit the assessment tests/interviews, etc. only once even if applying for both competitions.

The panels established from this 2019 competition will expire on 31 December 2021 and new competitions will be advertised by PAS in late January 2022 that may be used to fill vacancies arising over the next 2 years.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.