Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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331. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is aware of concerns that professional and technical grades are not currently included in the civil service mobility scheme; if he will amend this deficiency as a matter of urgency and provide the rationale for the exclusion of professional and technical grades from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9790/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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You will be aware that the Civil Service Mobility scheme was rolled out by grade over a number of years, and is currently available for over 34,000 general service staff members (Clerical Officer up to Assistant Secretary) who are interested in moving to a different Civil Service organisation and/or geographical location. The scheme provides staff members with an opportunity to broaden their skills and career development while also supporting the business needs of Civil Service organisations.

Plans are in place to extend the scheme to include the P&T grades at a later date. This was signed off by the Civil Service Management Board and has been communicated to all stakeholders (staff members, Unions, HR Community), and is published on our website.

Discussions with FORSA are due to resume in the near future.

P&T staff members can currently move on a temporary basis/secondment through an Expression of Interest process which is advertised by the Public Appointments Service.

Secondments provide opportunities for staff members to broaden their skills and continue their professional and personal development while retaining the right to return to their substantive or equivalent position in the sending organisation at the end of the secondment. It also provides an opportunity for the receiving organisation to fill a temporary position with both the receiving and sending organisation benefiting from shared learning, good practice, new ideas and experience.

Further information on the Mobility scheme is available to view at:

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Further information on the Secondment Policy is available to view at:

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