Alan Shatter T.D, Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, has announced
that the Government has approved the commencement of an initial recruitment
process for a number of the specialist staff required by the new personal
insolvency service - the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI).
This follows the recent appointment of the Director Designate of the new
Service, Mr Lorcan O'Connor, who will take up his position formally on 22
October 2012. Meanwhile, planning for the establishment of the new Service
has commenced and arrangements will now be put in place for the recruitment
of specialist staff who will be essential to the operation of the new
Service.
Initial indications are that up to 80 staff, including some specialist
staff, may be required for the Service itself. It is expected that they
will be mainly sourced through redeployment from other areas within the
public service. Arrangements are also being made for the transfer of the
functions, in regard to the administration of bankruptcy currently carried
out by the Official Assignee in Bankruptcy from the Courts Service to the
new Service. The processing of applications to the courts will be
centralised and automated insofar as possible. It is expected that staff
will, insofar as possible, be assigned to this work from elsewhere in the
public service.
A number of specialist staff will be required, on either short and
long-term contracts. To start this process, and to ensure that the Service
will be in a position to discharge its functions early in 2013, the
Government has agreed that a recruitment process for an small number of
specialist staff, in particular a number of accountants and an in-house
solicitor, should commence immediately. Where suitable staff cannot be
sourced from redeployment from across the public sector, they will be
recruited through an open process organised by the Public Appointments
Service.
Considerable emphasis is being placed on developing the Information and
Communications Technology aspects of the new Service, with priority
attention being devoted to the design and development of the necessary case
management, financial management and management information systems. The
process of identifying and securing an appropriate office premises for the
new Service is also underway.
Minister Shatter said “The development of modern insolvency legislation is
in line with the commitments made in both the Programme for Government and
the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland. Important progress
has already been made in progressing the Insolvency Bill through the Houses
of the Oireachtas and enactment of the Bill is one of my key priorities
during the current Dáil session.
“I am keen that the new Insolvency Service will be in a position to open
for business as soon as possible after the necessary legislation is passed
by the Oireachtas. This approval by Government of the staffing resources
necessary is a key step and I look forward to speedy progress over the
coming months.”