TÁNAISTE EAMON Gilmore has defended the decision not to open three of the most senior vacancies in the Civil Service to the general public.
Mr Gilmore also denied that the Government was not living up to its programme for government by deciding to fill the three secretary general (head of Government department) posts internally.
The three posts are secretary general to the Government (effectively the head of the Civil Service); a new secretary general position in the Department of the Taoiseach (to oversee the Economic Management Committee co-chaired by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Mr Gilmore) and the secretary general to the newly created Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Mr Gilmore said that these positions, because of their seniority, fell outside the scope of the Top Level Appointments Commission and it was the Cabinet which made the decision on who should be appointed. He also emphasised the urgency of the appointments.
The programme for government does not make the distinction between levels of seniority.
It states: “All appointments at principal officer level and above will be open to external competition and at least one-third of such appointments will be reserved for candidates from outside traditional civil service structures for a five-year period.”
The programme’s policy aim has yet to be formally adopted by Government, though it does not state that the most senior jobs are to be excluded from the reform.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Mr Gilmore said the posts were to be filled by the Government and the request for expressions of interest from candidates was the start of the process.
“There are a number of positions in Government that are not filled through the Top Level Appointments Commission. These positions are among those,” he said.
Fianna Fáil spokesman on public expenditure Seán Fleming called for the Public Accounts Committee to be given a key role in vetting candidates for the new positions.
“The PAC must be given this role in the interest of public accountability. The three appointments are highly significant. In particular, the new secretary general of the Department of Public Expenditure will be the accounting officer for all spending by the Government.
“The PAC is the only forum in which this person can and will be held accountable and therefore it must be able to vet candidates for the post and veto any candidate the committee feels is not of sufficient calibre.”
Mr Fleming said he accepted at face value the policy aim in the programme for government to open all senior positions to external competition.
“Now is the time to ensure that competition is not simply applied to more mid-level and junior posts,” he said.
