Oireachtas finance committee stops short of calling in John Callinan

The Oireachtas finance committee is to raise a series of questions over the appointment of the new secretary general to the Government – but has stopped short of requesting John Callinan appear before it.

Mr Callinan was announced this week as the next holder of the €215,000 role at the peak of the civil service, succeeding Martin Fraser, whose term is up and who has held the office since 2011.

However, politicians have criticised the manner of the appointment to the vacancy, which was not publicly advertised. Mr Callinan serves currently as second secretary general in the Department.

John McGuinness, the Fianna Fáil TD for Carlow-Kilkenny and chair of the committee, said it had decided during a private session today to write to the Department seeking answers before deciding whether to bring Mr Callinan in.

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He said the committee would be writing seeking that the Department outline “the process, or lack of process, how that worked, the remuneration, who decided on it and why they abandoned an open competition.”

We’ve asked for all that information from the Taoiseach, and as soon as we et that we’ll decide what needs to be done,” he said. Máiread Farrell, the Sinn Féin spokeswoman on public expenditure and reform – and another member of the committee – had written to Mr McGuinness and her colleagues on the committee asking that Mr Callinan be brought in.

Jim O’Callaghan, the Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin Bay South and a member of the committee, said he favoured an appearance by the senior civil servant, which he said would be “helpful … so that the public can get an understanding of how this important public position was filled.”

He may be the most suitable candidate but top civil and public service jobs should be advertised rather than arranged by senior officials,” he said.

It's understood the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is unlikely to discuss the appointment privately until after the Easter break.

The Department of the Taoiseach said in a statement: "The vacancy in the position of Secretary General to the Government and Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach was filled following a request for expressions of interest from all suitable officers in the Civil Service.

“The post does not come within the remit of TLAC. The appointment was made by the Government, on the advice of the Taoiseach. There was no departure from the process that was followed in respect of this post on previous occasions, most recently in 2011. Mr John Callinan, Second Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach has been appointed to the position with effect from May 3rd.”