Decentralisation a factor in high turnover of education staff

THE Government’s decentralisation policy has contributed to a high turnover in key management staff at the Department of Education, according to documents seen by the Irish Examiner.

Figures included in briefing notes to Minister for Education and Science Batt O’Keeffe from senior civil servants show that 19 out of 37 principal officers in the department had been promoted to the grade since January 2006. Of those 19 promoted staff, eight had no previous experience in the department.

A further 39 people were promoted to the grade of assistant principal officer between January 2006 and May 2008, either by internal promotion or transferring under the Government’s Central Applications Facility for decentralisation.