MARTIN WALL
Industry Correspondent
THE GOVERNMENT has signalled for the first time that State employees could be made redundant if progress is not made to allow for the redeployment of staff - one of the key elements of its public sector reform plans.
In a draft document presented to trade unions yesterday, the Department of Finance warned that the issue of redundancy would have to be explored for staff in the non-commercial semi-State sector if it was not possible to reach agreement on redeployment within a reasonable timeframe.
The document did not say whether any such redundancies would be voluntary or compulsory.
The draft document said that in the light of constraints on the public finances and the need to maximise use of resources, it was necessary to develop appropriate redeployment mechanisms so that staff could be moved from activities that were of less priority to areas of greater need. It warned that while volunteers for redeployment would normally be sought initially, compulsory redeployment could be introduced.
The Department of Finance said that where surplus staff were identified, in a non-commercial semi-State body, every effort would be made to find alternative employment. It said that the aim would be to absorb surplus staff where posts had become surplus for whatever reason, by redeployment either to "suitable fillable posts" within the organisation or the sector, as appropriate.
"If it is not feasible to redeploy to another non-commercial semi-State body, cross-sectoral redeployment may take place, within a geographic area should this be feasible. In such cases, redeployment to the most relevant sector will be considered in the first instance, eg, redeployment to a local authority would be considered in the case of a body associated with the local authority sector," it said.
The Department of Finance draft document said that in circumstances where all possible redeployment options had been explored or where it had not proven possible to reach agreement with staff on redeployment options within a reasonable timeframe, options including redundancy would need to be looked at.
"The terms of any such arrangements would be discussed with the staff side and would require the prior approval of the parent department and the Department of Finance," it said.
A Department of Finance spokesman last night declined to comment on the draft document.
The document said that redeployment would take place in a fair, equitable and transparent manner. It said staff moving to another non-commercial semi-State body would do so "on no less favourable terms and conditions in relation to basic pay and pension".
The Government has already sought provision to redeploy staff in the health and local authority sectors and in the civil service.