Relevant Info for those Waiting to Apply

Geri Boyle

Ok, so there are alot of people speculating on whether or not there will be a recruitment drive this year. To save people answering a million different "When is the next recruitment drive?" threads over the coming weeks and months, I thought we could compile a list of relevant information regarding same.

We can post any news articles or information etc. which would be of interest for those waiting to apply.
But please refrain from scaremongering or relaying an opinion as fact with no proof, and if possible provide links where available

At the moment, nobody really knows anything for sure but here is where we stand:




Questions re Recruitment Moratorium:

(originally posted by kerry4sam back in March)

http://www.finance.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=5723

Q. Does the Moratorium apply to all areas of the public service?
A:Yes. The recruitment and promotion moratorium will operate in respect of the civil service, local authorities, non-commercial state bodies, the Garda Síochána and the Permanent Defence Forces. The arrangements have been modulated in relation to the education and health sectors to reflect the particular service needs in those sectors.
Q: Why are these restrictions necessary?
A: The public service pay and pensions bill, at some €20 billion per annum, accounts for around 36% of total Government expenditure. Savings in the pay bill must contribute to the overall strategy for correcting the major imbalances in the Exchequer finances.
Q: Isn’t this just an embargo – a blunt instrument to reduce numbers employed?
A: No. An embargo would imply that no filling of vacancies whatsoever could take place. The Minister for Finance will have the authority to allow for the filling of some vacancies in very exceptional circumstances. The Government decision also provides that vacancies may be filled by redeployment of staff from other Departments or public bodies with the sanction of the Minister for Finance. In addition, arrangements for the health and education sectors have been modulated to ensure that key services are maintained insofar as possible.
Q: What do you mean by “redeployment”?
A: In the context of the need to achieve significant savings in the cost of providing public services over the next several years, greater flexibility and efficiencies in the allocation of resources is a pressing need. It is intended that these staff will be available to be re-assigned to areas of greater priority, including where there are sudden surges of activity which cannot be adequately met by the existing staff of the Departments/bodies concerned.
Q: How does this moratorium fit into the Government’s policy on Transforming Public Services?
A: Policy on numbers employed in the public service will be actively managed in conjunction with the programme of reform and renewal of the public service in line with the implementation of the recommendations of the OECD and the Task Force report. These recommendations envisage the redeployment of staff from activities which are no longer priority to areas of greater need. Programmes of public service reform and renewal will also address legal, technical and historical barriers to movement across the various parts of the public service.
Q: What about recruitment and appointment of temporary or seasonal staff?
A: The moratorium decision also applies to temporary appointments on a fixed-term basis and to the renewal of such contracts. Any exceptions to this principle, which will arise in very limited circumstances only, require the prior sanction of the Minister for Finance. This sanction will only be forthcoming when the Minister is satisfied that the post is essential to the delivery of a public service or performance of an essential function, that every effort has been made to fill the post by redeployment.
Q: What measures will be taken to monitor compliance?
A: The Department of Finance will be contacting Departments and Offices about more detailed arrangements for confirming compliance with the requirements of the Moratorium. If necessary, suitable measures can be incorporated in the Administrative Budget Agreements. As regards the wider public service, the onus is on each Department to monitor implementation in bodies under its aegis. As an initial step each Department is required to communicate the terms of the Moratorium immediately to all relevant bodies under its aegis and to send a copy to the Department of Finance.
Q: Will the moratorium not result in deterioration in public services?
A: The Government is conscious of the need to protect certain services and this is why it has provided for a degree of flexibility especially in the health and education sectors. The focus of the provision for redeployment is to allow resources to be moved from activities which are no longer priority to areas of greater need.

It's not all doom and gloom however, as posted by Jypo earlier:

http://www.waterford-today.ie/index....d=11029&ed=605

"Latest figures show that 900 plus Gardaí have put in for early retirement and these positions will not be replaced with the current government freeze on public sector recruitment. The loss of officers with years of experience in enforcing traffic laws will have an immediate impact on road safety standards. Garda divisions across the country are losing significant numbers of sergeants and this will reduce the ability of the Gardaí to operate road safety initiatives like mandatory breath testing and speed checks

With a large number of members retiring, it is possible AGS will recruit again sooner than was expected...