Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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54. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will clarify the procedures relating to the screening of ministerial civilian drivers, and whether convictions for driving offences such as drink driving are any bar to appointing persons to the role; and whether applicants, or successful applicants, are subject to Garda vetting by the NGVB. [34610/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Ministers and Ministers of State may make certain personal appointments, which, in the case of Ministers of State, include that of Civilian Drivers. Ministers’ drivers are members of An Garda Síochána. Under delegated sanction arrangements, Ministerial appointments to the positions of Civilian Driver do not require sanction by the Minister of the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, subject to the overall requirements set out in the Guidelines on the Appointment of Ministerial Personal Staff for the 34th Dáil () published in the gov.ie website.

In line with Section 8 of the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act (“the PSMA”) 2004, where an appointment is made to the post of Civilian Driver, an Excluding Order is required. Excluding orders are made only in specific, limited circumstances where the usual recruitment process under the PSMA and the Code of Practice for Appointment to Positions in the Civil and Public Service published by the Commission for Public Service Appointments do not apply.

In accordance with the Guidelines on Staffing of Ministerial Offices that followed Government Decision S180/20/10/2949 of 25 February 2025, Ministers of State shall appoint 2 Civilian Drivers. The selection of these appointees is a matter for each individual Minister of State and service in such posts is coterminous with the term of office of the appointing Minister.

As these posts are subject to excluding orders and are Ministerial personal appointments, determinations regarding the necessity of Garda vetting are a matter for the relevant Minister of State.