A Guide to the Functions, Records and Rules of the
Public Appointments Service
Freedom of Information Act, 2014 Section 8 Reference Book
Chapter House,
26-30 Abbey Street Upper,
Dublin 1
Tel: (01)8587400
E-Mail: info@publicjobs.ie
URL: www.publicjobs.ie
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CONTENTS:
1. PREAMBLE
2. ROLE and FUNCTIONS
2.1 Public Appointments Service
2.2 Legislation
2.3 Mission Statement
3. STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATION
4.
INDIVIDUAL UNITS WITHIN PAS
Recruitment and Selection Services
Assessment Services
Redeployment
Finance
Corporate Affairs
Information Technology
5. COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR REVIEW
6. POLICY ON CONFIDENTIALITY
7. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
8. INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8 OF
THE FOI ACT, 2014.
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1. PREAMBLE
This guide is compiled in accordance with the publication requirements set out in Section 8 of the
Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2014. The Act assert the rights of members of the public to obtain
access to official information to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the public interest and the
right to privacy of individuals and establish three statutory rights: the right to access records held by public bodies;
 the right to have official personal information, held by a public body, corrected where such
information is incomplete, incorrect or misleading;
 the right to seek reasons for decisions, taken by a public body, which affect the requester.
The Public Appointments Service (PAS) makes as much information as possible available to the public
in relation to its functions and activities, without the need to use the FOI Act. The FOI Act is designed
to allow public access to information held by public bodies which is NOT routinely available. Access
to information under the Act is subject to certain exemptions and involves specific procedures and time
limits.
2. ROLE AND FUNCTIONS
2.1 Public Appointments Service
The Public Appointments Service, formerly the Office of the Civil Service & Local Appointments
Commissioners, is a centralised provider of recruitment, assessment and selection services for the
Civil Service. We conduct inter-departmental selection processes for promotion within the Civil
Service and assist The Top Level Appointments Committee in making senior management
appointments within the Civil Service. PAS also provides recruitment and consultancy services to
Local Authorities, the Health Service Executive, An Garda Síochána and other public bodies, as
requested. This involves a range of activities such as facilitating client organisations in determining
their human resource requirements, job analysis* studies, providing assessment services, training
assessors in interviewing and selection techniques, advising clients on staff induction and retention
strategies and promoting best practice in the areas of fairness, equality and diversity. Research
projects, in the form of job analysis* or labour market research, are undertaken to inform the
overall approach to public sector recruitment and selection. www.publicjobs.ie provides an on-line
recruitment facility and is the main access route for candidates who wish to apply for posts in the
public service.
2.2 Legislation
The principal legislation under which the Public Appointments Service functions is the Public
Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act, 2004. This Act provides for a modern
and efficient framework for public service recruitment which allows for increased flexibility, while
maintaining high standards of probity. It empowers Government Departments and other public
service bodies to recruit staff directly under licence, as well as through the centralised recruitment
system provided by the Public Appointments Service. Recruitment under licence is subject to
codes of practice drawn up by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA).
2.3 Mission Statement
We will source the highest quality candidates for positions in the civil service and public service and we will
facilitate the movement of public servants within, and between, sectors in accordance with the needs of clients,
thus ensuring a more efficient and appropriate resourcing of essential services.
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3. STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATION
The Board of the Public Appointments Service:
Ms Judith Eve, Chairman
Mr Eddie Molloy, HR Consultant – Ministerial nomination
Mr. Paul Lemass, Assistant Secretary, Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Mr William Beausang, Director, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Ms Anne Marie Taylor, HR Consultant
Ms Eimear Kenny, Senior HR Executive
Nominee of the Minister of Health - Vacant
Nominee of the Minister of Justice and Equality - Vacant
Ms Fiona Tierney, CEO, PAS
The Management Team:
Ms Fiona Tierney, Chief Executive
Mr Padraig Love, Head of Corporate Services
Mr Niall Leavy, Head of Research & Business Development
Ms Margaret McCabe, Head of Senior Executive Recruitment
Ms Mary Flynn, Head of Recruitment Services
Ms Áine Gray, Head of Assessment Services.
Ms Michelle Noone, Head of Executive Search
Mr Niall Byrne, Head of State Boards
The Chief Executive, together with the other area heads, make up the Management Advisory
Committee. The Chief Executive, as Head of the Public Appointments Service, is responsible for
strategy and for the day-to-day management of the Office. The role of the Management Advisory
Committee is two-fold, firstly to support the Board of the Public Appointments Service in carrying out
its functions, and secondly the overall management of the Public Appointments Service.
4. INDIVIDUAL UNITS WTHIN PAS
The following section provides a breakdown of the role and functions of the individual units within the
Public Appointments Service, the services provided by them and the type of records and information
held.
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RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION SERVICES UNIT (RSSU)
Role and functions of the Unit
The Unit provides a recruitment and selection service directly to client organisations. In order to
identify the particular needs of individual clients and to facilitate recruitment and competition planning,
a single point of contact is nominated by this Office for each client group.
Among the services provided by this Unit are:
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Open recruitment for positions in the Civil Service;
Open recruitment for certain positions in the Local Authorities, HSE, Harbour Authorities,
Fisheries Boards and Vocational Education Committees;
Selection of candidates for promotion within the Civil Service by means of competitive interdepartmental selection tests and interviews;
Assisting other public sector organizations with open recruitment e.g. An Garda Síochána, the
Nurses Career Centre, etc.;
Assisting the Top Level Appointments Committee in making senior appointments within the
Civil Service;
Management of applications for membership of state boards.
The Unit has six distinct groups of clients / customers, as outlined below:
 Clients Bodies: - Client bodies comprise civil service departments/ offices, local authorities,
Health Service Executive and other public bodies who request our services. The services
provided include gaining an understanding of the client’s requirements; advising clients on best
recruitment and selection practice; providing a recruitment and selection service and providing
the facility to advertise vacancies on www.publicjobs.ie.
 Applicants: - The service provided to applicants is in the context of a particular competition for
which they have applied. Application forms and information booklets are available on-line.
 Members of Selection Boards: - The Unit relies heavily on the valuable contribution of
members of selection boards and provides all possible assistance to them in carrying out their
responsibilities.
 General Public: - Members of the public who may, or may not, be interested in applying for a
public service position, but who have an interest in knowing that such positions are filled in an
open, transparent manner.
 Public Representatives: - General queries are dealt with, as appropriate.
 The Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA): The Unit adheres to the codes of
practice established by the CPSA, co-operates with audits and provides feedback as required.
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Structure of the Unit
The Unit is divided into a number of sub-units, on the basis of specialisation within particular fields of
selection. There is also an Executive Search Unit which works with the Senior Executive Recruitment
Unit and provides support to their campaigns. The objective of this Unit is to source and attract a high
quality field of potential candidates for senior roles.
Specific information regarding responsibility for individual campaigns is available at the time of
advertising. Contact details of the for the particular competition are published also at this stage.
Classes of Records
Records are both paper-based and electronic. Paper-based records are classified by a range of series
which represent the major themes/topics encompassing the activities of the unit. Each theme is further
divided into a range of sub-series representing specific aspects of the theme/topic. The range of series
includes:
# Competition files
# Personal Files
# Regrading files
# Enquiries from the public and public representatives
# Internal Administration
# Policy Files
# Parliamentary Questions File
# Reports of Job Analyses
# Financial Records
# Enquiries from the public pursuant to the Data Protection Acts, 1988 and 2003
# Enquiries from the public pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act s 2014
# Information Leaflets pertaining to recruitment in the Civil Service
# Requests for Review
# Acts, Orders and Bills.
Where to access Information
Information may be accessed at www.publicjobs.ie; by e-mailing info@publicjobs.ie; by writing to The
Public Appointments Service, Chapter House, 26-30 Abbey Street Upper, Dublin 1, or by telephoning
01 - 8587400.
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ASSESSMENT SERVICES UNIT (ASU)
The main function of ASU is to advise, develop and deliver appropriate assessment processes, as
required, which are relevant, effective and fair to candidates. The implementation, on-going
monitoring and short/ long term evaluation of such processes is also carried out by the unit.
Contacts:
Áine Gray
Sarah Heywood
Aoife Lyons
01 8587413
01 8587628
01 8587629
aine.gray@publicjobs.ie
sarah.heywood@publicjobs.ie
aoife.lyons@publicjobs.ie
Pre selection
 Contribute to Job Analyses*/ Job review for posts recruited by the Public Appointments Service
or clients
 Competency Design
 Source and develop selection tools for use on specific campaigns
 Develop assessment material
Interview development and design
 Ongoing research and development of the interview as a selection technique
Training
 Training/ briefing selection boards on best practice interviewing and assessment techniques
 Contribute to the training of PAS staff in test facilitation/ administration, equality and dealing
with candidates with special needs
Supporting the Selection Process
 Provide professional advice on appropriate selection processes
 Work in partnership with external associates and others
 Support the RSSU in the implementation of the selection processes
 Regular monitoring and quality assurance of aspects of selection process
 Providing analysis, support and advice on equality matters
 Collect, analyse and report on feedback from candidates and assessors, as required.
Other services
 Provide professional advice on selection issues
 International benchmarking and building alliances with other individuals and organisations
 Establish new services for candidates which can be accessed through publicjobs.ie, e.g. career
decision making tools and new self assessment material
Business Co-ordination
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Maintaining financial records and preparing yearly estimates of expenditure
Ensuring compliance with agreed procurement policy
Replying to queries from members of the public and public representatives on general and specific
issues
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Delivery of Service
Assessment Services provides a service directly to the Recruitment & Selection Units and to Clients.
Services are delivered face-to-face, by telephone or in writing and are generally concerned with
fulfilling assessment requirements. This process would normally entail communication with a view to:
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Advising on the approach to selection to be used
Collaboration on the design of new or enhanced assessment methods
Evaluation of assessment methods employed
Examiners, Test Facilitators, Assessors and Interviewers
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The delivery of training and briefing material for the preparation of assessors undertaking the
implementation of new or enhanced assessment techniques. Monitoring of, and feedback on,
performance of assessors.
Contractors and Suppliers
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Contact is made with contractors and suppliers regarding products and services required to provide
assessment services. Contact may be made in writing, by telephone or face-to-face in accordance
with agreed procurement procedures.
Educational Institutes, Professional Bodies and External Bodies
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Much of the contact with members of these bodies is made by telephone or in writing to explore
and gather information about best practice in recruitment and selection and in response to requests
for briefings on the issues concerning new/enhanced assessment methods employed by the PAS.
Additional Information
The following information is currently available from the Assessment Services Unit:
The Recruitment and Selection Toolkit
The Recruitment and Selection Toolkit, developed for client bodies, provides practical advice on
implementing transparent and effective merit based selection systems and includes guidance on
interviewing. Details of price available on request.
DVDS
DVDs, with accompanying handbooks are available.
(1) Preparing for Interview – A Guide for Candidates
(2) Effective Interviewing – A Guide for Interviewers
Details of price available on request.
Research reports
A copy of research reports compiled by the Public Appointments Service is available on publicjobs.ie.
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Where to access Information
The information set out may be accessed by contacting those named above by either (a) writing to The
Public Appointments Service, Chapter House, 26-30 Abbey Street Upper, Dublin 1 or (b) telephoning
at (01) 8587400 or (c) by e-mailing info@publicjobs.ie.
Classes of Records
 Financial records
 Procurement files
 Feedback from Candidates
 Competency information on particular roles
 Assessment techniques development
 Assessment Techniques – Materials
 Assessment Techniques – Training
 General Liaison with other Departments
 General Liaison with External Bodies
REDEPLOYMENT UNIT
Role of the Unit
The main role of the Unit is to support the Public Service Redeployment Scheme, provided for in the
Croke Park Agreement 2010-14. The Unit provides advice, guidance and support to public service
organisations on matters related to redeployment; facilitates the placement of redeployees to new
organisations; endeavours to match the skills and experience of the resources available for
redeployment with the skills requirements of the sanctioned posts; ensures that the redeployment
process meets the requirements of the Croke Park Agreement; manages and maintains the
Redeployment Resource Panel; and provides data on a regular basis to the Department of Public
Expenditure and to Personnel Officers.
The Unit also provides information and support to civil servants on the Central Applications Facility
(CAF) and manages a database for the Incentivised Early Retirement Scheme (ISER).
Where to access information
redeployment@publicjobs.ie
helpdesk 01 8587409
Contact
Karan Nesbitt
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FINANCE UNIT
Role of the Unit The main function of the Unit is the development of financial management for the
Office, within broad guidelines set out by the Department of Finance. In general the main features
include:
 preparing, for the Department of Finance, the budgetary estimate for each year: This involves
forecasting annually the financial requirements to meet the cost of all major programmes in relation
to salary and overhead costs (advertising; accommodation etc).This is based on inputs from
individual units where appropriate.
 effective budgetary control: When the estimate of expenditure has been approved by the
Department of Finance and voted by the Dáil, it is the function of the Unit to allocate funding to
each unit and ensure that there are no overruns on these allocations.
 preparing of the Annual Appropriation Account: This is an account of the Office’s spending of
monies voted by the Dáil and is subject to audit by the C&AG.
 recording, on a monthly basis, the amounts paid in respect of salaries, services, goods, work
activities, etc from all units and preparing a record (a “monthly profile”) of this expenditure, which
is sent to the Department of Finance.
 processing claims/invoices by members of staff and goods/services providers in an efficient manner
while ensuring that the terms of the Prompt Payment legislation are met.
 a small amount of cash is kept in the Office to pay for such expenses as taxis taken for official
business, small emergency supplies, etc. The Finance Unit has an audit function in regard to this.
 dealing with Salaries Section, Department of Finance, on all matters pertaining to Office staff
salaries and allowances. (Salaries for all PAS staff members are processed by the Department of
Finance but are met from the PAS Budget (Vote).)
Significant features of the activities of Finance Unit include:
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recording all invoices and claims
inputting claims, etc on computer
preparing Payment Schedules
processing payments by electronic funds transfer or cheque – drafts where necessary
issuing Payable Orders, where necessary
preparing the Monthly Expenditure Profile
monitoring budget allocations
salaries of new entrants
starting pay on promotion
increments
allowances
deductions at source
overtime payments
maintenance of Purchase Order Processing system (POP) and computerised financial records
Delivery of Service
The delivery of service provided by the Unit is threefold in that a service is provided to staff members
in the first instance, to goods and services providers in the second and to certain other Government
Departments in the third. Service may be delivered face-to-face, in writing, by telephone, by facsimile
transfer (fax) or by e-mail.
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Staff members:
As well as dealing with all matters relating to staff salaries, the Unit is responsible for ensuring that
travel and subsistence claims, refunds of fees and any other payments in respect of staff members are
settled promptly and efficiently.
Management Reporting:
Monthly expenditure reports are made to the Management Advisory Committee (MAC) of the Office.
A breakdown of the expenditure relating to each Unit is made available to the respective manager. At
periodic intervals during the financial years the MAC is provided with reports showing both spend to
date and the expected Outturn for the year as a whole.
Goods/ Services Providers:
Invoices from goods providers for office equipment, stationery, etc and claims for fees, travel and
subsistence from service providers (e.g., advertising agents, cleaning agents, interview/exam. assessors,
medical examiners) are processed in the Unit. Any enquiries about individual claims are handled by the
Unit.
Other Government Departments/Offices:
The Unit has regular contact with other Government Departments and Offices such as (I) the
Department of Finance regarding certain matters concerning salaries and expenditure; (II) the Office of
the Revenue Commissioners for VAT repayments; (III) the Office of Public Works in relation to office
maintenance.
Available Information:
Information pertaining to the Finance Unit is set out in the Finance Unit Procedures and Guidelines.
The contents of this booklet are set out in detail in Section 9 following.
Where to access information:
Where information is available, it may be accessed by contacting the following by (a) writing to The
Public Appointments Service, Chapter House, 26-30 Upper Abbey Street, Dublin 1 or (b) by
telephoning the following:
Name
‘Phone
Joe Hanahoe (Accountant)
(01) 8587415
Carol Black
(01) 8587636
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CORPORATE AFFAIRS
The Corporate Affairs area consists of Business Support Unit, Human Resources Unit and Corporate
Development work. In support of this are other corporate functions which form part of the roles of
other staff (i.e. Internal Audit and Risk Management).
Business Support Unit
This Unit has responsibility in the following areas:
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Health and Safety matters for the building, staff and visitors
The provision of security services, including:
-greeting point for all visitors to the Public Appointments Service
-office security
-car park access and security
The provision and maintenance of office accommodation
Developing and implementing an Asset Management policy and systems
The provision, monitoring and maintenance of the telephone system
Records management including developing and implementing policies in relation to record
retention (including retention and destruction of files in line with the National Archives Act,
1986, Regulations, 1988)
Procurement and day-to-day housekeeping in the following areas:
-stationery
-small stores
-office equipment
-janitorial services
-catering services
The collection and distribution of post
Delivery of Service: Services may be delivered face-to-face, by telephone, fax, e-mail or in writing.
The unit provides a service to the following groups:
Members of Staff
Government Departments
Services Providers
The General Public
Where to access information
Information may be accessed by contacting those listed below by either (a) writing to The Public
Appointments Service, Chapter House, 26-30 Upper Abbey Street, Dublin 1 or (b) telephoning the
numbers listed below:
Contact Names:
Anne McEvatt (01) 8587442
Classes of Records
The Unit holds the following records:
 Financial Records
 Policy Files
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Files on Accommodation Matters
Files on Health and Safety
Internal Administration
Office Equipment Records
Human Resources Unit
This unit has a range of responsibilities including matters relating to manpower planning, staffing
issues and staff welfare issues. It also deals with staff Training and Development and with PMDS
(Performance Management & Development System). The unit also has responsibility for consultation
/negotiations with staff representatives. The significant features of the sub-unit’s activities are:
Manpower Planning
 developing and implementing the Workforce Plan for PAS
 identification of skills/needs in the Office
 anticipating vacancies in order to ensure that staffing levels are maintained
 examining options for the filling of vacancies on the basis of skills/needs and making appropriate
recommendations to the senior management group.
Staffing Issues
The unit provides operational support in accordance with policy as dictated by the Department of
Public Expenditure and Reform for a number of staffing issues e.g.:
 leave – annual, sick absences, study, exam, special, maternity etc.
 dealing with requests for all work-life balance initiatives
 health and safety issues
 monitoring staff on career breaks
 attendance – flexible working hours (FWH)
 transfers – both internal and external
 conducting the process of internal promotion
 ensuring decisions are made in relation to the awarding of increments
 dealing with disciplinary issues & providing assistance to managers in dealing with same
 circulating Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circulars
 maintaining seniority lists.
Staff Welfare Matters
The Employee Assistance Service provides a work-based programme through which individuals may
avail of:
 information
 counselling
 help in evaluating and assessing difficulties
 help in planning a structured approach in coping with and/or resolving any difficulties.
HR also provide other welfare-related services to staff, including Wellness Programmes and other
welfare/health related initiatives.
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Consultation / Negotiations with Staff Representatives
The staff of the office are formally represented by the Civil and Public Service Staff Union (CPSU), the
Public Service Executive Union (PSEU), the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants
(AHCPS), the Federated Union of Government Employees (FUGE) and IMPACT.
Consultation with the staff interests is ongoing on a formal and informal basis and includes:
 meetings with branch representatives of each union as issues arise
 meetings of Consultative Committees to discuss issues of concern in relation to the organisation.
Available Information
The following information is available:
Office Notices on staff-related matters
Office HR policies
Employee handbook
Note: Personnel policies and procedures are contained in The Personnel Code at
www.personnelcode.gov.ie .
Where to access information
The information set out above may be accessed by contacting those listed below:
NAME
Colm Dorgan
Camilla Fisher (Training)
’PHONE No
(01)8587702
(01)8587576
Classes of Records
The Unit holds the following records:
Work-Life Balance Initiatives files
Transfer files
Union records
Policy files
Internal Administration
Training & Development files
PMDS administration files
Files on internal awareness-raising events
Personnel files
Superannuation and salary information
Corporate Development
The roles which contribute to this function are distributed throughout the office and are carried out on a
part-time basis by staff in addition to their main roles in the various units in which they work. This
function is concerned with ensuring effective corporate governance structures in the organisation, the
management of strategic change in the office and with ensuring business process and quality
improvements are made throughout the organization on an ongoing basis.
Responsibilities
 Co-ordinating and promoting strategic and business planning across the organisation
 Strengthening and developing our approach to Quality Customer Service
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Co-ordinating the publication of the Annual Report
Facilitating partnership approaches to decision making
Auditing internal systems and procedures to ensure value for money
Co-ordinating Risk Management
Management of Vendors
Overseeing and providing guidance on procurement
Structure of the Function
The unit is made up of a small number of staff throughout the organisation who develop corporate
policies and carry out specific functional tasks, in close consultation with all other units, in order to
facilitate change and improvement within the Office.
Delivery of Service
The function provides a service to the following groups:
 Members of Staff
 The Management Advisory Committee
 The Board of the Public Appointments Service
 The Audit Committee
 The Risk Management Group
Where to access information
Information may be accessed by contacting Catherine Dobbins at The Public Appointments Service,
Chapter House, 26-30 Upper Abbey Street, Dublin 1 or by telephoning her at (01)8587516.
Information on Internal Audit may be accessed by contacting Kathleen Jordan at the above address or
by telephoning her on (01) 8587697. Information on Procurement can be accessed by contacting Emer
Grenville at the above address or by telephoning her on (01) 8587572.
Classes of Records
The function holds the following classes of records:
 Internal Administration Files
 Policy Files
 Audit Files
 Procurement Files
Publications/Documents
The following publications are available on request from the Unit:
*Strategy Statement 2011-2013
*Customer Action Plan 2011-2013
*Annual Reports
*PAS Procurement Guidelines
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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY UNIT
Role of the Unit
The role of the IT Unit is to support the business and corporate strategy of the office through the
implementation and maintenance of effective, efficient and cost effective solutions that meet the
requirements of the business units.
To achieve this, a PC based computer system is networked throughout the Public Appointments
Service. The network provides staff with access to the office systems, applications and services, other
Governments Departments and the Internet.
The IT Unit is currently divided into three teams
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Business Systems Support
Operations Management
STAR System Support
Business Systems Support
This team is responsible for small systems application development to support the competition process,
the collection and dissemination of management information and the provision of bespoke in-house
solutions to office wide issues.
Operations Management
This team is responsible for the development and maintenance of the operations and
telecommunications infrastructure within the office. Activities of the unit include:
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Purchasing and installing computer hardware and software.
Securing the organisations information assets
Providing a helpdesk facility to support the office systems
Implementing new technologies that enhance the organisations network
Ensuring that network facilities are developed to meet the needs of the business users
Administration and expenditure planning
STAR System Support
STAR is a bespoke online application, developed specifically to support and underpin the recruitment
process in PAS. It is an online application with a number of portals available both internally, to PAS
for the administration of campaigns and externally, to the public for job alerts and application.
The STAR System Support Team is responsible for support, maintenance and enhancement of the
STAR System. The STAR Support team includes PAS IT Unit staff and external experts contracted to
support and enhance the system as directed by PAS.
Contact person for information
IT Manager
Ms. Louise Jevens
Telephone (01) 8587660
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5. COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR REVIEW UNDER SECTIONS 7 AND 8 OF THE
CODE OF PRACTICE
The Public Appointments Service will consider requests for review in accordance with the provisions
of the codes of practice published by the CPSA. Where a candidate is unhappy with an action or
decision in relation to their application he/she can seek a review under Section 7 of the Code of
Practice.
Where a candidate believes that an aspect of the process breached the Commission’s Code of
Practice, he/she can have it investigated under Section 8 of the Code of Practice.
The Codes of Practice are available on the website of the Commission for Public Service
Appointments, www.cpsa-online.ie.
6. POLICY ON CONFIDENTIALITY
The Public Appointments Service undertakes to hold confidential any personal information, subject to
its obligations under the law, including the Freedom of Information Act, 2014 and the Data Protection
Acts, 1988 & 2003.
7. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION IN THE PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS SERVICE
Requests under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 an individual is entitled to apply for access to information
not otherwise publicly available. Each person has the right to:
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access to records held by the Public Appointments Service;
have official personal information, held by the Public Appointments Service, corrected
where such information is incomplete, incorrect or misleading;
seek reasons for decisions, taken by the Public Appointments Service, which affect the
requester.
The following records come within the scope of the Acts:
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all records relating to personal information held by the Public Appointments Service,
irrespective of when created
all other records created from the commencement date i.e. 21 April, 1998
all records of staff created after 21 April, 1995, or earlier if used adversely against staff member
any other records necessary to the understanding of a current record.
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Structure of the FOI Unit:
The Unit consists of an FOI Officer who is responsible for answering FOI requests and an FOI Appeals
Officer who is responsible for conducting internal reviews.
Classes of records
The FOI Unit holds files for
 Requests for information
 Requests for internal review
The guidelines and procedures under which the FOI Unit carries out its functions are as determined
by the FOI Act.
How to make a request:
Requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act, 2014 must be made in writing and
addressed to
Gillian Holmes,
FOI Unit.
The Public Appointments Service,
Chapter House,
26-30 Upper Abbey Street,
Dublin 1.
Telephone (01) 8587639 or e-mail foi@publicjobs.ie
Your request should include the following:
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a statement to indicate that the request is being made under the FOI Act.
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as much information as possible to enable the speedy identification of the record(s) concerned.
If you have difficulty in identifying the precise records that you require, the staff of the Office
will be happy to assist you in preparing your request. It may be helpful to include a contact
telephone number so that you can be contacted, if clarification in relation to the records being
requested is needed.
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The desired format in which the record should be provided e.g. photocopy, e-mail etc.
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The appropriate fee (if applicable – please see below).
Decisions
A request must be acknowledged within 2 weeks and, in most cases, a decision must be conveyed
within 4 weeks of receipt of the request.
The Acts provide for exemption from the release of certain types of information in some circumstances.
Where these provisions are invoked to withhold information, the decision may be appealed. Decisions
in relation to deferral of access, charges, forms of access, etc. may also be the subject of appeal. Details
of the appeals mechanism are set out below.
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Internal Review
You may seek an internal review of the initial decision within 4 weeks of notification of the decision, if
you are dissatisfied with the initial response, or if you have not received a reply within 4 weeks of your
initial application. The internal review must be completed within 3 weeks of receipt of the request.
Requests for internal review should be submitted in writing to:
Ms Catherine Dobbins
FOI Unit
The Public Appointments Service,
Chapter House,
26-30 Upper Abbey Street,
Dublin 1.
Telephone (01) 8587516 E-Mail: catherine.dobbins@publicjobs.ie
Review by the Information Commissioner:
Following completion of internal review, you may seek an independent review of the decision from the
Information Commissioner. Also, if you have not received a reply to your request for internal review
within three weeks, this is deemed to be a refusal and you may appeal the matter to the Commissioner.
An application for an independent review must be made within 6 months, directly in writing to:
The Information Commissioner
18 Lower Leeson Street
Dublin 2
Telephone (01) 6395689
FEES (in connection with FOI requests)
Fees may be charged in respect of requests, in accordance with the provisions of Section 27 of the Act.
Charges may be applied for the time spent finding records and for any photocopying costs incurred by
the Office in providing the material requested. It is unlikely that any fees will be charged in respect of
personal records, except where a large number of records are involved.
The current rates of these fees are as follows:
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Initial Request for a record - Free
€30 internal review fee
€10 internal review fee (medical card holders)
€50 appeal to the Information Commissioner
€15 appeal to the Information Commissioner (medical card holders)
€20 per hour of search and retrieval – If the cost of search and retrieval is €100 or less, no
charge applies. If the charge exceeds €100, full fees apply.
€0.04 per sheet for a photocopy
€10 for a CD-ROM containing copy documents
€6 for a radiograph (X-ray) containing copy documents
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8. INFORMATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8 OF THE FOI ACT, 2014:
Competitions held by the Public Appointments Service are conducted in accordance with the codes of
practice published by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) (available on
www.cpsa-online.ie).
Guidelines under which recruitment units carry out their functions and activities are listed below
and are available for inspection.
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guidelines for preparing to advertise a competition / conduct a selection process
guidelines for advertising / publicity arrangements
guidelines for processing application forms
guidelines for appointing selection board members
guidelines for arranging selection boards
guidelines for briefing and training members of selection boards
guidelines for conducting the shortlisting process
guidelines for conducting interview boards
guidelines for issuing results
guidelines for making pre-employment enquiries on such matters as health and character
guidelines for dealing with appeals/requests for review
guidelines for the testing stage of a recruitment campaign
guidelines with regard to panels
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