The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Jack Chambers TD, has said discussions with Fórsa, on the civil service mobility scheme, are due to resume “in the near future”, in response to recent a parliamentary question. 

Offaly TD John Clendennen sought an update from the minister, including details of when the scheme would be opened to the professional and technical grades. 

Responding to the question, the minister said the scheme is currently available to more than 34,000 general service staff members (clerical officer to assistant secretary), for those civil servants interested in moving to a different department or geographical location. 

The minister said plans are in place to extend the scheme to include the professional and technical grades “at a later date.”  

He added: “They (professional and technical grades) can currently move on a temporary basis/secondment through an expression of interest (EOI) process which is advertised by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). 

“It provides an opportunity for the receiving organisation to fill a temporary position with both the receiving and sending organisation benefiting from shared learning, good practice, new ideas and experience,” he said. 

Fórsa official Paul MacSweeney  said the union is expecting to engage with department officials on the mobility scheme shortly: “This is a scheme that is highly valued by civil service members, enabling them to acquire skills and experience as they progress through their careers, but also opening up opportunities to live and work in different parts of the country."

“It remains a priority for Fórsa to ensure professional and technical grades can secure access to this scheme, and we will continue to pursue this, once discussions are underway,” Paul MacSweeney  said. 

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