Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Civil service of the Republic of Ireland
The Civil service (Irish: An Státseirbhís) of the Republic of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the departments of state and certain state agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, the Civil service of the Government and the Civil service of the State. Whilst the differences between these two components are largely theoretical, some fundamental operational distinctions exist.
The civil service of the Irish Free State was not formally established by any specific legislation. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 did however provide that the Government of the Irish Free State became responsible for those who were discharged or retired from the civil or public services in the new state, except a few exempted personnel recruited in response of the Anglo-Irish War. The exact status and compensation of such people was further codified in law by the Civil Service (Transferred Officers) Compensation Act 1929. This had the effect that the state became responsible for essentially all former Dublin Castle administration civil servants based in the new state.
The first attempt at formally regulating the civil service was the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1923 which was essentially a transitional arrangement and in 1924 was replaced by the Civil Service Regulation Act 1924. The result of these acts was the Civil Service Commissioners (later the Office of the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commissioners), a commission of three persons charged with determining the standards for entry to the Civil Service of the Government of Saorstát Éireann. Entry to the civil service was generally by competitive examination, and a number of qualifications such as ability, age, character, health and knowledge could be predefined. Applicants also had to meet nationality requirements. An order in 1924 required female civil servants to retire on marriage. The competitive examination system was created to ensure that the appointment of people to the institutions of the state would be based on merit only, and as such limiting any spoils system type influence. This became criticised as being a rigid system in which promotion was based primarily on one's seniority and not on the ability of forward-thinking or risk-taking. A result of this was that the civil service became regarded as retaining its British outlook until well into the 1950s, T. K. Whitaker was among a new generation of civil servants who would "break the mould" and cast off this image.
The Civil Service of the Government is the direct descendant of the Civil Service of the Government of Saorstát Éireann, as provided for in Article 56 of the Constitution of Ireland, one of the Transitory Provisions intended to ensure continuance of institutions of the state.[citation needed]
A significant reform of the civil service occurred by the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 and Civil Service Commissioners Act 1956. However, these two acts placed in primary law the requirement that many women would face mandatory retirement on marriage. This provision was rescinded by the Civil Service (Employment of Married Women) Act 1973.
In 2004 the Office of the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commissioners was abolished and replaced by two separate bodies, the Commission for Public Service Appointments, a standards-setting body, and the Public Appointments Service (PAS), a central recruitment agency for the Civil Service. Government departments may recruit directly, though most avail of the services of the PAS.[citation needed]
The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 allows civil servants to work until the age of 70 if they choose.
All civil servants are expected to be impartial and to act within the law. A member of the civil service is expected to maintain political impartiality and all grades must not seek nomination or election to the European Parliament or Houses of the Oireachtas.[citation needed] Certain grades are also barred from seeking nomination or election to local authorities and civil servants above the clerical grade must not take part in public debate outside their normal official duties (for instance, privately contributing to newspapers, radio, or television would be considered a violation of this principle).[citation needed] All civil servants, including those on career break or retirement are subject to the Official Secrets Act 1963, as amended, exceptions to this include the Freedom of Information Act.
Hub AI
Civil service of the Republic of Ireland AI simulator
(@Civil service of the Republic of Ireland_simulator)
Civil service of the Republic of Ireland
The Civil service (Irish: An Státseirbhís) of the Republic of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the departments of state and certain state agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, the Civil service of the Government and the Civil service of the State. Whilst the differences between these two components are largely theoretical, some fundamental operational distinctions exist.
The civil service of the Irish Free State was not formally established by any specific legislation. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 did however provide that the Government of the Irish Free State became responsible for those who were discharged or retired from the civil or public services in the new state, except a few exempted personnel recruited in response of the Anglo-Irish War. The exact status and compensation of such people was further codified in law by the Civil Service (Transferred Officers) Compensation Act 1929. This had the effect that the state became responsible for essentially all former Dublin Castle administration civil servants based in the new state.
The first attempt at formally regulating the civil service was the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1923 which was essentially a transitional arrangement and in 1924 was replaced by the Civil Service Regulation Act 1924. The result of these acts was the Civil Service Commissioners (later the Office of the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commissioners), a commission of three persons charged with determining the standards for entry to the Civil Service of the Government of Saorstát Éireann. Entry to the civil service was generally by competitive examination, and a number of qualifications such as ability, age, character, health and knowledge could be predefined. Applicants also had to meet nationality requirements. An order in 1924 required female civil servants to retire on marriage. The competitive examination system was created to ensure that the appointment of people to the institutions of the state would be based on merit only, and as such limiting any spoils system type influence. This became criticised as being a rigid system in which promotion was based primarily on one's seniority and not on the ability of forward-thinking or risk-taking. A result of this was that the civil service became regarded as retaining its British outlook until well into the 1950s, T. K. Whitaker was among a new generation of civil servants who would "break the mould" and cast off this image.
The Civil Service of the Government is the direct descendant of the Civil Service of the Government of Saorstát Éireann, as provided for in Article 56 of the Constitution of Ireland, one of the Transitory Provisions intended to ensure continuance of institutions of the state.[citation needed]
A significant reform of the civil service occurred by the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 and Civil Service Commissioners Act 1956. However, these two acts placed in primary law the requirement that many women would face mandatory retirement on marriage. This provision was rescinded by the Civil Service (Employment of Married Women) Act 1973.
In 2004 the Office of the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commissioners was abolished and replaced by two separate bodies, the Commission for Public Service Appointments, a standards-setting body, and the Public Appointments Service (PAS), a central recruitment agency for the Civil Service. Government departments may recruit directly, though most avail of the services of the PAS.[citation needed]
The Public Service Superannuation (Age of Retirement) Act 2018 allows civil servants to work until the age of 70 if they choose.
All civil servants are expected to be impartial and to act within the law. A member of the civil service is expected to maintain political impartiality and all grades must not seek nomination or election to the European Parliament or Houses of the Oireachtas.[citation needed] Certain grades are also barred from seeking nomination or election to local authorities and civil servants above the clerical grade must not take part in public debate outside their normal official duties (for instance, privately contributing to newspapers, radio, or television would be considered a violation of this principle).[citation needed] All civil servants, including those on career break or retirement are subject to the Official Secrets Act 1963, as amended, exceptions to this include the Freedom of Information Act.