Civil service recruitment gets more flexibility

The Government has published a bill renovating the way civil servants are recruited, which it believes will aid the decentralisation process.

Under the terms of the Public Service (Recruitment and Appointments) Management Bill 2003, Government departments will be allowed to apply for licences to recruit their own staff directly, instead of going through the Civil Service Commission.

The Civil Service Commission will be replaced by the Commission for Public Service Appointments and will continue to recruit for those bodies not applying for a license.

Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy today said that the bill was introducing "real flexibility" into the recruitment process which supports the Government's decision on decentralisation announced in the Budget.