Revenue doubled promotions to 128 last year

The Revenue Commissioners promoted 128 people internally in 2012 — twice as many as in the previous year.

In 2011, there were just 66 promotions.

All but a third of the promotions (79) in 2012 saw staff reach the rank of higher executive officer or above.

Of those, 33 attained the rank of assistant principal. That role has a salary scale of between€61,966 and €84,296. A further 13 were promoted to principal, (€80,051 and €105,429).

There was just one promotion in the lower rank of clerical officer where the salary scale is €22,015-€36,267.

In spite of the significant increase in promotions in the Revenue Commissioners last year, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said they were “limited” and had to be considered in the context of “the significant reduction in numbers and loss of key skills since 2009”.

“Revenue staff numbers have reduced from 6,581 in 2009 to 5,732 in 2012,” he said. I am advised by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners that they undertake regular workforce planning analyses to identify key posts and skills that require to be filled to enable them to deliver on their current and developing strategies.”

The minister said that notwithstanding the need to reduce public service numbers generally, “an effective tax collection system is an essential element of our fiscal consolidation requirements.

“In recognition of the need to adequately resource Revenue and to address critical skills gaps, my colleague the minister for public expenditure and reform recently granted Revenue sanction to fill critical vacancies up to a new Employment Control Framework of 5,874,” he said.

“The Revenue Commissioners are required, in the first instance, to refer to the public service resource panel to fill vacancies. Where there are no redeployment staff available, or there are specific skills deficits, Revenue have sanction to fill posts by recruitment or promotion.”

Details of the promotions came in a parliamentary Question asked by Labour backbencher Tommy Broughan. He said that with the huge decline in the public service, frontline services and lower levels of the service were being hard-stretched. He said it should be in those areas that promotions are made.