Local authority officials will have to get permission before moving into lucrative jobs with private building and development companies following changes imposed by the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche, writes Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent
Under the revised code of conduct, senior staff will have to seek clearance for up to a year after they leave a local authority's employment after "retirement or resignation".
The drift of local authority staff into private business was highlighted by the decision of three senior Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council staff to depart over the last year.
Eamon O'Hare, Dún Laoghaire's director of traffic, resigned to join millionaire developer Sean Mulryan's Ballymore Homes, while former county manager Derek Brady joined Noel Smyth's Alburn Limited last year.
A former Dún Laoghaire council planner, Willie Murray was recruited by Rathdown Light Rail, a consortium of developers including Mr Smyth, created to bring the Luas to Cherrywood in south Dublin.
In a circular dated June 22nd, the Department of the Environment's Peter Greene outlined the changes to the code of conduct set up in 2001 to "uphold public confidence" in local government.
County and city managers and directors of service will have to notify a new Outside Appointments Board set up to vet such moves, while staff below directors of service rank will have to tell superior officers.
"Applications will be considered by the appropriate authority on the basis of determining whether or not a clear conflict of interest exists. Having regard to the circumstances of each case, consent to take up an appointment or accept an engagement may be given either unconditionally or with conditions attached", the amended code declares.
The new curbs are modelled on those applying to retired senior civil servants, who receive an index-linked State pension, who can be barred from taking up private sector posts for a year after they leave.
"Early disclosure and consultation will help to avoid any perception of conflict of interest and will safeguard the integrity of the local government service and the individuals concerned," the amended code said.
The change, said Mr Greene, would "further strengthen" the rules governing council staff accepting jobs, or consultancies "following resignation or retirement, where a conflict of interest may exist". Urging managers to inform all local authority staff as quickly as possible, he said that the Outside Appointments Body would be set up by the Minister for the Environment "as soon as possible".
The body will include the secretary general of the Department of the Environment and Local Government, a former city or county manager and three others who are not serving or former public servants, one of whom will act as chair.
"It is expected that the new provisions will not affect the generality of local authority employees wishing to take up employment outside the sector.
"However, openness and transparency and adherence to the procedures set out in the amended Section 10 of the code will help to avoid any suspicion that the actions of a local authority employee might be influenced by the prospect of employment with any particular firm or organisation," Mr Greene wrote.