Civil Service
All civil servants are expected to be impartial, and to act within the law. A member of the civil service is expected to maintain political impartiality and all grades must not seek nomination or election to the European Parliament or Houses of the Oireachtas. Certain grades are also barred from seeking nomination or election to local authorities.
Civil servants above the clerical grade must not take part in public debate outside their normal official duties. For instance privately contributing to newspapers, radio, or television would be considered a violation of this principle. All civil servants, including those on career break or retirement are subject to the Official Secrets Act 1963, as amended, exceptions to this include the Freedom of Information Act.
Civil servants must not take part in anything that may involve a conflict of interest, and if they seek outside work must bring it to the attention of their line manager who may refuse the request. Civil servant grades and positions defined as "designated positions" under the Ethics in Public Office Acts must make a disclosure of interests where they have a relevant interest.
The grading structure is heavily based on that of the British Civil Service. Traditionally the Administrative Officer grade was the highest grade at which one could join the civil service, with higher grades filled by internal promotion. Entry positions are recruited openly by the Public Appointments Service (formerly the Civil Service and Local Appointments Commission). The current Social Partnership agreement Towards 2016 allows for a proportion of the previously internally filled positions to be advisertised and filled externally, at the grades of Principal Officer, Assistant Principal and Higher Executive Officer. Many positions at Assistant Secretary level (generally the second most senior grade in a Government Department) have also been advertised externally in recent years.
In some departments or offices, particularly at senior levels in the Civil Service of the State, different titles (such as Director or Commissioner) may be applied to positions instead of the traditional grade. There also exists the grades of Services Officer, Staff Officer, Administrative Officer, and Second Secretary which only exist in certain departments or offices. Specialist or technical positions may have a different grading structure.
It has become practice in recent times for some outside advisors to also work in government departments, such as 'programme managers', however the conditions and remuneration of such individuals varies with government.
Read more about this topic: Civil Service Of The Republic Of Ireland
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