The current recruitment code for civil servants in Northern Ireland has dated, Northern Ireland Office Finance Minister Ian Pearson said today.
Announcing the release of the civil service watchdog's draft recruitment code and the start of public consultation, Mr Pearson said the commissioners had concluded: "It does not reflect 21st century conditions; it is inflexible and it may be acting as a barrier to the efficient conduct of recruitment and to
achieving a properly diverse workforce.
"While the merit principle cannot be diluted - appointment must always be on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, I understand that the new draft differs considerable from the current code.
"It is less prescriptive; it is principle based; and the emphasis in these days of information technology and testing is no longer centred solely on the interview method of selection," he said.
Nationalist politicians have been fiercely critical of the civil service, claiming their community is underrepresented particularly in senior grades.
The civil service is the largest single employer in Northern Ireland , with a workforce of 30,000 people and over 4,000 appointments every year.
The civil service commissioners will be seeking views of all interested parties over the next three months. They will then produce a formal equality impact assessment and it is hoped the new code will be in place by early next year.