I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 320 together.
I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department grants career breaks to staff in line with the parameters of Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 4 of 2013. The Career Break Scheme in the Civil Service affords flexibility to staff and employers by allowing staff to apply to take a period of special leave without pay for a period of not less than six months and not more than five years, if taken for reasons of family, domestic, travel or educational purposes.
A career break may be extended in six monthly periods or in periods in excess of six months provided the total period of special leave without pay does not exceed the maximum permitted. Subject to certain conditions, eligible staff may in general avail of three career breaks during their career provided the total period does not exceed twelve years.
My Department includes scheduled returnees from Career Breaks in its workforce planning processes. Staff are granted extensions to career breaks in exceptional circumstances, as provided for in the Circular. This has not impacted on its ability to fill any vacancies in the Department.
The decision to grant or refuse a career break to an applicant will be the decision of the HR Manager/Head of Department and is based on the organisational needs of the Department.
The number of civil servants in my Department, who were on career break in 2023 and 2024 is set out in the below tables.
In 2023 (Table A), 2 Clerical Officers (CO), 12 Administrative officers (AO), 3 Assistant Principals (AP), and 1 Principal Officer (PO) were on career break. There were no staff on a career break of more than five years in 2023.
In 2024 (Table B), 1 Clerical Officer (CO), 9 Administrative officers (AO), 2 Executive Officers (EO), 1 Higher Executive Officer (HEO), 4 Assistant Principals (AP) and 1 Principal Officer (PO) were on career break. In 2024, 1 PO, 1 AP and 1 CO were on a career break for over five years.
There were no staff in my Department on career break for more than six years in 2023 and 2024.
The bodies under the aegis of my Department have provided the information requested in the attached document.
Response
Table A
|
Grade
|
Career Break Started (Month)
|
Length of Career Break to Date (Years)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jan-23
|
Feb-23
|
Mar-23
|
Apr-23
|
May-23
|
Jun-23
|
Jul-23
|
Aug-23
|
Sep-23
|
Oct-23
|
Nov-23
|
Dec-23
|
|
AO
|
Nov-18
|
4.17
|
4.25
|
4.33
|
4.42
|
4.50
|
4.58
|
4.67
|
4.75
|
4.84
|
4.92
|
5.00
|
|
|
AO
|
Feb-19
|
3.92
|
4.00
|
4.08
|
4.16
|
4.25
|
4.33
|
4.41
|
4.50
|
4.58
|
4.67
|
4.75
|
4.83
|
|
AO
|
Aug-20
|
2.42
|
2.50
|
2.58
|
2.67
|
2.75
|
2.83
|
2.92
|
3.00
|
3.08
|
3.17
|
3.25
|
3.33
|
|
AO
|
Apr-22
|
0.75
|
0.84
|
0.92
|
1.00
|
1.08
|
1.17
|
1.25
|
1.33
|
1.42
|
1.50
|
1.59
|
1.67
|
|
AO
|
Jul-22
|
0.50
|
0.59
|
0.67
|
0.75
|
0.83
|
0.92
|
1.00
|
1.08
|
1.17
|
1.25
|
1.34
|
1.42
|
|
AO
|
Oct-22
|
0.25
|
0.34
|
0.41
|
0.50
|
0.58
|
0.67
|
0.75
|
0.83
|
0.92
|
1.00
|
1.08
|
1.17
|
|
AO
|
Jan-23
|
|
0.08
|
0.16
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
0.41
|
0.50
|
0.58
|
0.67
|
0.75
|
0.83
|
0.92
|
|
AO
|
Apr-23
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
0.59
|
0.67
|
|
AO
|
Apr-23
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
0.59
|
0.67
|
|
AO
|
May-23
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.34
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
0.59
|
|
AO
|
Oct-23
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
|
AO
|
Nov-23
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
|
AP
|
Sep-18
|
4.34
|
4.42
|
4.50
|
4.58
|
4.67
|
4.75
|
4.83
|
4.92
|
5.00
|
|
|
|
|
AP
|
Sep-19
|
3.34
|
3.42
|
3.50
|
3.58
|
3.67
|
3.75
|
3.83
|
3.92
|
4.00
|
4.08
|
4.17
|
4.25
|
|
AP
|
May-21
|
1.67
|
1.76
|
1.83
|
1.92
|
2.00
|
2.08
|
2.17
|
2.25
|
2.34
|
2.42
|
2.50
|
2.59
|
|
CO
|
Nov-18
|
4.17
|
4.25
|
4.33
|
4.42
|
4.50
|
4.58
|
4.67
|
4.75
|
4.84
|
4.92
|
5.00
|
|
|
CO
|
Apr-19
|
3.76
|
3.84
|
3.92
|
4.00
|
4.08
|
4.17
|
4.25
|
4.34
|
4.42
|
4.50
|
4.59
|
4.67
|
|
PO
|
Jul-19
|
3.51
|
3.59
|
3.67
|
3.75
|
3.84
|
3.92
|
4.00
|
4.09
|
4.17
|
4.25
|
4.34
|
4.42
|
Table B
|
Grade
|
Career Break Started (Month)
|
Length of Career Break to Date (Years)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jan-24
|
Feb-24
|
Mar-24
|
Apr-24
|
May-24
|
Jun-24
|
Jul-24
|
Aug-24
|
Sep-24
|
Oct-24
|
Nov-24
|
Dec-24
|
|
AO
|
Aug-20
|
3.42
|
3.50
|
3.58
|
3.67
|
3.75
|
3.84
|
3.92
|
4.00
|
4.09
|
4.17
|
4.25
|
4.34
|
|
AO
|
Aug-20
|
3.42
|
3.50
|
3.58
|
3.67
|
3.75
|
3.84
|
3.92
|
4.00
|
4.09
|
4.17
|
4.25
|
4.34
|
|
AO
|
May-21
|
2.67
|
2.76
|
2.84
|
2.92
|
3.00
|
3.09
|
3.17
|
3.25
|
3.34
|
3.42
|
3.51
|
3.59
|
|
AO
|
Apr-22
|
1.75
|
1.84
|
1.92
|
2.00
|
2.08
|
2.17
|
2.25
|
2.34
|
2.42
|
2.50
|
2.59
|
2.67
|
|
AO
|
Jan-23
|
1.00
|
1.08
|
1.16
|
1.25
|
1.33
|
1.42
|
1.50
|
1.58
|
1.67
|
1.75
|
1.84
|
1.92
|
|
AO
|
May-23
|
0.67
|
0.76
|
0.84
|
0.92
|
1.00
|
1.09
|
1.17
|
1.25
|
1.34
|
1.42
|
1.51
|
1.59
|
|
AO
|
Nov-23
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
0.58
|
0.67
|
0.75
|
0.84
|
0.92
|
1.00
|
1.08
|
|
AO
|
Jan-24
|
|
0.08
|
0.16
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
0.58
|
0.67
|
0.75
|
0.84
|
0.92
|
|
AO
|
May-24
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.34
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
0.59
|
|
AP
|
Sep-19
|
4.34
|
4.42
|
4.50
|
4.59
|
4.67
|
4.75
|
4.84
|
4.92
|
5.01
|
5.09
|
5.17
|
5.25
|
|
AP
|
May-21
|
2.67
|
2.76
|
2.84
|
2.92
|
3.00
|
3.09
|
3.17
|
3.25
|
3.34
|
3.42
|
3.51
|
3.59
|
|
AP
|
Mar-24
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
0.59
|
0.67
|
0.75
|
|
AP
|
Aug-24
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
|
CO
|
Apr-19
|
4.76
|
4.84
|
4.92
|
5.01
|
5.09
|
5.17
|
5.25
|
5.34
|
5.42
|
5.51
|
5.59
|
5.67
|
|
EO
|
Apr-24
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
0.59
|
0.67
|
|
EO
|
Aug-24
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
|
HEO
|
Jun-24
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.08
|
0.17
|
0.25
|
0.33
|
0.42
|
0.50
|
|
PO
|
Jul-19
|
4.51
|
4.59
|
4.67
|
4.76
|
4.84
|
4.92
|
5.01
|
5.09
|
5.18
|
5.26
|
5.34
|
5.42
|
