Clerical Officer Customs Opportunities 2022 (Shift Work)

I would be interested in hearing feedback aswell about the job in Dublin Airport or Port. I was offered a position however turned it down as I would have had to take a demotion in the Civil Service and pay cut. I hope I'm not regretting it.

Let’s put it this way I've been in law enforcement for many many years before….I’ve been in more altercations in this role than I have in the previous a lot of new hires are coming to job thinking it’s a few questions and send the folks on there way, however that’s not case. I cannot divulge duties that customs some generic duties are available but most are not for obvious reasons, I can say it’s a lot more than the average Joe public actually thinks.

everyday is not the same it’s a very exciting role if you put the work in and it’s rewarding. The courses you do, you can use outside of the civil service too so it genuinely benefits you as person including revenue. When you are in enforcement you are at a desk for about an hour other than that you are out on patrol or boardings etc…trade facilitation are in the office more often.

Here's the reality check. I am not speaking for the Dublin Airport roster role, but what I say is accurate for most everywhere else in the country.

After tax it's worth about an extra €50 per week, plus expenses (€16.29 between 5 and 10 hours once you are working more than 8km from the office, €39.08 for 10 hours or more). You must live no more than 45 minutes from your place of work.

You are expected to drive any official vehicle that your licence permits, however in the event of an accident, the state claims agency only provides 3rd party cover. i.e It will cover damage to the person you hit, but your passengers must claim from you. Many fail because while they can drive their own car into the same parking spaces they always park in when handed the keys of a seized SUV and told to reverse up a farm laneway in the dark or negotiate narrow city laneways in heavy traffic and unfamiliar junction layouts, they sometimes refuse, putting the onus on their colleagues to drop what they are doing and rescue them.

Make no mistake, if you apply with a Full B licence, you will be expected to drive everything under that licence, not just your 1L fiesta. That includes Tiny smart cars, electric vehicles, automatics, manuals, petrol, diesel, Cars, Jeeps, vans, people carriers, electric handbrakes, manual handbrakes, everything up to and including a Fiat Ducato high roof van, with the handbrake on the wrong side. People's pride and joy, and their farmyard runabout that stinks of cowdung. You'll be expected to drive confidently when keeping targets under observation, but if you have an accident, or get a ticket, that's your problem.

Your work phone is with you 24/7, you work when it tells you. You can apply for leave, but only if it suits the needs of the organisation. I know people who finished their contracts with 40 days leave unused. Half days don't exist. Depending where you work you will not know what you are doing on Monday (what time you start & where) until 7-8pm Sunday evening. You might start at 7am and not finish till 10PM that night, and thanks to the working time directive you won't need to be back in work until 9am the following day.

A 50-60 hour working week is normal. There is no overtime for the majority of allowanced posts.

You'll spend more time discussing your personal life with your colleagues than with your spouse or significant other.

You'd be surprised how many people are shocked by the above once they start in the role, and soon become a burden to their colleagues.

Make no mistake it's a fantastic job, and experience unlike anything else you'll get outside AGS in the public sector. I Did 2 5 year contracts before having to quit on health grounds and return to the desk job.

There's a separate thread about that, but as far as customs enforcement go, once you get promoted, your enforcement contract ends, and revenue will send you wherever you are needed, depending on where you picked on your form, i.e Dublin, Cork, Kimerick, Kerry, etc. You won't be left in an allowanced post. If there are vacancies at that grade in non-allowanced posts, you may be considered for them, but there are no guarantees.

Is this to stay in Customs though or once promoted likely moved elsewhere in the org?

Billyhead if you are in the civil service you could be entitled to incremental credit which would have bumped your salary up. You can carry previous service in.

Very scarce. Unheard of outside Dublin or maritime.

24/7 shift is only for a small few branches. I'm only speaking for the non shift premium contracts.

Can anyone tell me what the role would involve for those based in Portarlington?