Press release

Minister Donohoe publishes Report of Independent Review Panel on grading of two Secretary General posts

From: Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
Published on: 13 September 2023
Last updated on: 12 April 2025

The Minister for Public Expenditure National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, has today (Wednesday, 13 September) published the Report of the Independent Review Panel on Senior Public Service Recruitment and Pay Processes that examined the grading levels of two Secretary General posts. The Report is available at: Report on the Grading of Secretary General Posts.

Following the completion of their previous Report, which examined senior public service recruitment and pay determination processes, and its publication on 27 June 2023, Government decided to request that the Independent Review Panel remain in place to undertake a further review. This review examined the grading of the Secretary General posts in the Departments of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; and Housing, Local Government and Heritage within the existing three tier Secretary General grading structure.

This review was completed and submitted to the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform on 28 August 2023. Minister Donohoe commented:

“I note the Report of the Review Panel, which I have published today, and its important recommendations. I have today informed my colleagues at Cabinet of my intention to implement the recommendations arising from this independent assessment, namely that:

the Secretary General post in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth be set at Secretary General level Grade II; and
the Secretary General post in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage be set at Secretary General level Grade I

“I would like to thank the Chairperson of the Independent Review Panel, Donal de Buitléir, as well as the other members, for agreeing to undertake this additional assessment following their previous Report. These changes will be effective from the date of appointment of the current Secretaries General to these posts.”