Principal Officer competition 2022

tea and coffee · 25-06-2022 1:58pm

Are you sure they didn't mean 74 in 2021? The 2019 thread said 650 were called for interview in total, so no way did less than 100 make it through.

Also, and tbf not all at PO level, but there have been at least 50 retirements in the last 3 months where I am. It's an exodus!

martian1980 · 25-06-2022 2:09pm

Your interpretation sounds a lot more reasonable, but here is the text from the newsletter:

PO (2019)

This panel has been added to on several occasions. 122 candidates have been placed on the panel and to date 74 have been assigned. 8 candidates did not proceed with their appointments.

APparently · 25-06-2022 2:27pm

That panel continued to assign POs up until very recently. There was a further panel added in Dec 2019- another 30 or so if I remember. Not sure whether they were all placed. I'm probably way off with "nearly 200" then but I'd be surprised if it didn't reach 100. Wonder if those who weren't assigned stuck to certain locations outside Dublin. Speaking of which, how will geographic assignment work this time or will all jobs be Dublin based and everybody will have to decide whether they can work in Dublin 1 or 2 days a week??

tea and coffee · 25-06-2022 2:30pm

Well that would imply that if you're on this list, you'll likely be assigned but if you are in a subsequent batch, it's highly unlikely. Seems a waste of resources then to interview further batches, or certainly any more than 2 batches. . .

Curranjo · 27-06-2022 11:52am

If or when do you think they call the next batch to interview and up to what OOM

APparently · 28-06-2022 6:42pm

Trying to gauge timeframes for this panel so I had a look at the 2019 panel.

The results came out and the panel of 65 was announced end Jan 2020. They had to submit their geographical preferences within 2 weeks then first offers weren't until 1st April. But, of course there was uncertainty over government formation and covid hit in those intervening 2 months, whuch ecplains the delay in commencing. 5 months later (early Sept) they were at number 41. Then PAS called another batch to stage 2 etc in October and things slowed down again for batch 1. Mid December they were at 52 on the panel and the 65th person (last of batch one) was taken early April 2021 whereupon batch 2.1 panel commenced. There was also a batch 2.2 and a batch 3 by the time the panel closed in March 2022.

I think it's conceivable that this panel could move at a rate of 10 per month once it starts just as the 2019 one did at the beginning. Also, the avalanche of PO retirements that was expected in 2020 didn't materialise because of covid and it seems it's on it way now (certainly in my Dept, where many POs had put off retiring over the last 2 years because there was nowhere to go or nothing to do). This means that by the end of this year they would be calling a second batch to interview etc.

Of course, I have no inside knowledge so this is all wild speculation.

TaurenDruid · 28-06-2022 9:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119263323#Comment_119263323

I wouldn't imagine delays in government formation had any impact at all on PO recruitment?

May Day · 29-06-2022 9:33pm

Stupid question... but where did you find the 2019 panel info? I am hopeless at finding things like that.. can only find the boards thread from 2019!! Doh!

Mugser11 · 30-06-2022 3:17pm

Email out for location choices.

Ahell · 02-07-2022 10:31am

The location email doesn't really give much hope for placement if you don't want to locate yourself in Dublin.

May Day · 04-07-2022 7:44am

Does anyone know if clearance has to be fully complete to take up a position. I'm conscious of the time of year and holidays, the time it takes to get garda clearance and a change of management in my organisation. I recall being in a job once for a month or two when my garda clearance came back as it said I hadn't accounted for one year in the late 1990s ! At that stage I'd been working away none the wiser!

softskills · 04-07-2022 8:17am

I know. I'm happy enough to commute to Dublin (I've done it with other jobs) if the location is accessible by public transport (or within 5-6 km of Heuston station by bike or foot) but more remote Dublin locations will be a challenge for me in the short term given the housing crisis.

paydembills · 05-07-2022 10:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119287304#Comment_119287304

Yes it does. Going on my past experience your start date won’t be agreed until you’ve got full clearance.

softskills · 06-07-2022 4:57am

As someone new to the CS could I ask what is involved in clearance, please? Garda vetting? Tax clearance? reference checking? Academic transcripts? More? All of the above? I'm just wondering if there are elements I can line up in advance to be ready. Is there a form for references so that I can let referees prepare appropriately?

May Day · 06-07-2022 10:28am

Thanks a million. That's really helpful. I might apply for garda clearance now. I hear it takes ages and my current clearance runs out in Sept.

TaurenDruid · 06-07-2022 10:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119297208#Comment_119297208

You can't apply for clearance yourself, can you? I mean, I'm not going to trust the letter you hand me saying you're grand 😀 It needs to be the prospective employer, GAA club, charity or whatever that initiates the process, is my understanding. Plus, depending on where you're being assigned to, there may be a more advanced check required. PAS will send you a consent form when they're ready, you supply the required details (basically any address you've lived at) and you'll get a link where you can check progress (which only ever seems to indicate "Received", "in progress", or "completed"). It takes between 2 to 5 weeks on average, depending on your circumstances, and the only real hold up will be if you lived abroad.

TaurenDruid · 06-07-2022 10:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119296468#Comment_119296468

PAS will send you a form/checklist which you fill out and return with the relevant documents - this will be your consent to Garda vetting, your completed vetting form, a health and character declaration, a copy of proof of address (I used a utility bill, the first one I'd physically had in about 5 years!), a scan of passport, scans of relevant qualification awards, and the names and contact details for two referees from current/immediately prior employment.

May Day · 06-07-2022 12:00pm

GRRR - I must be mixing it up with something else. Perhaps clearance... no idea.

I recall over the years having to go down to the odd Garda Station and get a Garda on duty to fill in a form regarding addresses. Typically they looked clinically depressed when they saw my age!! It was a time consuming endeavour for them and a lot of guess work for me!! I didn't envy them to be fair, but that is what I thought would be asked of me. Not to worry. Thanks

TaurenDruid · 06-07-2022 12:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119297693#Comment_119297693

Yes, one of the forms they send you is for Garda clearance and it does ask for all your addresses. But you return that to PAS, if I recall correctly, and it's PAS who get the results of the clearance, not you directly. It'll be done by the Garda Vetting section rather than your local station.

May Day · 06-07-2022 12:14pm

Ah right, thanks! I don't know why I am treating this like a given or an emergency, I am not that far up the list to have a realistic prospect of being assigned in the next while. My head has jumped ahead of me I think. It was such a shock (albeit a nice one) after all the failed attempts, that I cannot seem to believe it. Thanks a million.

TaurenDruid · 06-07-2022 2:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119297754#Comment_119297754

Ha, no worries at all! I was the same after getting the AP, couldn't believe I'd got it until I actually started in the new place!

softskills · 06-07-2022 7:41pm

Thanks Tauren Druid. I appreciate you taking the time to answer my query.

Witco · 11-07-2022 2:17pm

Has anyone who was successful heard from PAS about beginning clearance? It seems to have gone very quiet since the results were released

myk · 11-07-2022 2:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119321632#Comment_119321632

Hey, I'm near the top of the list and haven't heard anything since the location mail.

May Day · 11-07-2022 4:26pm

Yes me either. Nothing. I doubt I am as close to the top as you are. I don't know what the usual time line is, as this is the first time I made it. I found that this competition was far more expeditious than others I did in the past.

Does anyone have any insight into how long it took in past competitions? I am hearing (all anecdotally of course, so fool am I for heeding it) that the CS is 'crying out' for PO vacancies to be filled owing to so much retirement and Ukraine etc. I really have no idea what that means but I keep asking to drive myself batty.

HartsHat · 12-07-2022 11:36am

The only advice I can give from being on previous panels is to forget about it completely until you are contacted.

Pat_Mc · 12-07-2022 11:48am

Summertime very quiet, but I am sure there are multiple vacancies. I am medium on list and was wondering does anyone know if existing civil servants have to go through garda vetting again?

Very keen to hear when it starts moving

druss · 12-07-2022 12:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119325931#Comment_119325931

Previously, Garda vetting and verification of qualifications was taken as read for existing civil servants as this was presumably sorted when they started in the service. I do recall that an updated vetting was required for some international work, to reassure the other organisations being worked with. I'd speculate that maybe Justice or Foreign Affairs could have an additional induction step, but I doubt it.

hardybuck · 12-07-2022 12:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119326180#Comment_119326180

An additional level of vetting for Justice Sector for sure.

softskills · 12-07-2022 3:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119325865#Comment_119325865

I'm so far down (mid 60s) that's I'll be doing the watched-kettle routine as we get close to the 2 year mark. So excited for everyone about to be offered posts. I hope you find fulfilling roles that you enjoy.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119297693#Comment_119297693

I'll match you on age and having lived and worked all over the globe.....

Principal Officer competition 2022

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