Former civil servant refutes claims over qualification

A FORMER senior civil servant, appointed to a pivotal education post, has refuted allegations about her inexperience and lack of qualifications for the job.

A number of complaints have been made to Cork County Vocational Education Committee and to the Department of Education and Science over the recruitment of Anne O’Donovan as an adult literacy organiser.

Allegations by workers in the sector claim Ms O’Donovan, from Skibbereen, did not meet the criteria laid down by Government.

Chief executive officer with Cork Co VEC, Barra Ó Briain said Ms O’Donovan had the “necessary experience and expertise” to undertake the role of adult literary organiser for West Cork (North).

Education Minister Mary Hanafin has been urged by volunteers and part-time workers in the adult literary sector to investigate the appointment.

However, the Department of Education, which produced a circular in 2001 advising its agencies on job selection procedures, said yesterday the department or the minister did not have any role to play in appointments in Cork Co VEC.

Ms O’Donovan, who worked for 19 years in the civil service and served as a private secretary in the former Department of Labour, assumed the post on Saturday last. Over the last 10 years, she worked in supervisory posts in community programmes. She said: “I applied for a job ... and was successful. I am eligible and I just want to get on with doing the job.”

Colleagues in the sector said that if Ms O’Donovan did not meet the criteria outlined in a department circular M15/2001, the appointment would cast serious doubt over the job selection process.

Executive officer of the further education section in the department, Brendan McGauran advised Mr Ó Briain on October 17 that a written complaint had been received about the proposed appointment. The senior official asked the Co VEC chief to confirm that the appointee was selected in accordance with the criteria set out in the April 2001 circular. Mr Ó Briain informed the department that Ms O’Donovan was “fully qualified for the post.”

Co VEC board member Cllr John O’Shea said he attempted to raise the issue at the October meeting.

“Following concerns highlighted by members of the adult literacy sector, I felt it was appropriate to request a deferral of the appointment until such times as the chief executive, the minister and the department would be all in at one about the appointee.”