The Government has approved large numbers of promotions to senior management positions in the Civil Service over recent weeks while frontline services continue to face serious pressure, the union representing lower-paid civil servants has said.
Civil Public Services Union general secretary Eoin Ronayne said 50 or 60 promotions to positions of principal officer, assistant principal officers and higher executive officers in the Department of Social Protection and the Revenue Commissioners had been authorised in recent weeks.
“A fair and equitable system of promotions is needed at a time when higher grades seem to be cornering promotions to themselves. Those at the bottom, at the coalface, are not being replaced and there are very few low-level promotions.”
The annual conference of the CPSU called on its national executive to seek such a new fair promotional system for staff in the Civil Service.
Mr Ronayne said that higher level staff who were among the 1,000 personnel who left the Civil Service before pension changes came into effect at the end of February were now being replaced.
However, he said no replacements were being approved for staff at lower levels who left over recent months.
“It is difficult for our members to cope when they see high level promotions just after an early retirement package came on stream. Very little resources appear to be being placed into front line resources.”
Meanwhile, Mr Ronayne also warned that new proposals by the Government to effectively halve sick leave arrangements for staff in the public service will cause real difficulties.
In a paper to be given to trade unions on Tuesday, public service management will propose limiting sick leave provision to three months on full pay followed by three months on half pay.
