General Operatives

Open Recruitment Competition to establish panels for certain future sanctioned General Operative Band 3 (Rural) (Seasonal, Fixed Term and Permanent Positions)

at (1) Arterial Drainage Maintenance and Construction Services Division in Counties Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and any works managed by the Mungret Depot Area (2) Arterial Drainage Maintenance and Construction Services Division in Counties Kerry, Cork and any works managed by the Listowel Depot Area. (3) Arterial Drainage Maintenance and Construction Services Division in Counties Galway, Tipperary and any works managed by the Portumna Depot Area.

The Office of Public Works (OPW) invites applications for positions in the grade of General Operative Band 3 (Rural) in the OPW’s South West Region Arterial Drainage Maintenance and Construction Services Division. The General Operative Band 3 (Rural) position is a Non-Established State Industrial post based on a 39-hour week, (Monday to Friday) and is subject to a seven-month probation period which may be extended to ten months under certain circumstances. Continuation in employment in the position, following the end of the Probation Period, will be dependent upon the appointee fully meeting the requirements for the position during the Probation Period. The actual hours of attendance are determined by local management requirements. The OPW is responsible for the maintenance of arterial drainage schemes completed under the 1945 Arterial Drainage Act, the construction and maintenance of flood defence schemes under the 1995 (Amendment) Act and under Planning and Development Legislation (Local Authority led schemes). The South West Region Division also provides professional advice on the advancement of flood defence schemes and related matters. Schemes construction by the South West Region division are carried out using the “Direct managed Works Model” consisting of a large direct labour workforce, supplemented as necessary by private section suppliers and sub-contractors. This is an Open OPW recruitment competition to which applicants with the minimum eligibility requirements may apply. Persons who wish to be considered for appointment to the General Operative Band 3 (Rural) Arterial Drainage Maintenance and Construction Services Division, and who meet the essential eligibility requirements, should submit a completed and signed application form. The selection process may include a short-listing process, based on the information supplied on the application form, which will determine those to be invited to competitive interview. The competitive interview process, will be used by OPW to select the candidate that is deemed suitable for appointment to fill the position and a reserve panel, effective for a limited period, may be formed, and may be used to fill certain sanctioned seasonal, fixed term or permanent positions that may arise in South West Region Drainage, Maintenance and Construction Services Division. Placement on the panel(s) does not guarantee nor imply that an offer of employment will be made to those placed on same. In the event that an offer of an appointment is made, it will be made in the order of merit of those on the relevant panel regardless of the length of contract period offered and the specific area(s) in which the position would be based. Appointments to approved positions of employment are made as and when considered appropriate by OPW management and will be subject to the candidate meeting the health, reference and security requirements for the position.Internal panels take precedence for appointment over open competitions. Separate panels for the Mungret Depot area, the Listowel Depot area and the Portumna Depot area will be formed in the order of merit on each panel as determined by the Interview Board.

General Operative Band 3 (Rural) - Arterial Drainage Maintenance & Construction Service positions (1) Counties Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and any works managed by the Mungret Depot Area. A. Arterial Drainage Maintenance B. Construction Services Division (2) Counties Kerry, Cork and any works managed by the Listowel Depot Area. C. Arterial Drainage Maintenance D. Construction Services Division (3) Counties Galway, Tipperary, and any works managed by the Portumna Depot Area. E. Arterial Drainage Maintenance F. Construction Services Division

The following process will apply in relation to offers: Candidates may indicate preferences for positions in either Arterial Drainage Maintenance or in Construction Services however, the following process will apply in relation to offers. Candidates may refuse any offers of Seasonal, Fixed Term or Permanent positions for A,C or E in Arterial Drainage Maintenance or B,D or F in Construction Services only once and one form of contract, whether Seasonal, Fixed Term or Permanent only once each. If a candidate refuses either of the above options, no further offer will be made for that specific form of contract in a specific location within either Arterial Drainage Maintenance or Construction Services. Candidate will however remain on other panels for which they have indicated a preference for the duration of the panel(s). All offers are made in order of merit on reserve panels following a competitive interview process.

For example: Candidate Z indicates a preference for Arterial Drainage Maintenance in Locations (1) Mungret Depot and (2) Listowel Depot and Construction Services in Location (1) Mungret Depot. Candidate Z is offered a Seasonal post in (A) Arterial Drainage Maintenance in geographic location covered by the Mungret Depot. Candidate Z refuses this post, so he/she will no longer be offered a Seasonal post in (A) Arterial Drainage Maintenance in geographic location covered by the Mungret depot. However, Candidate Z will remain on panel to be offered a Fixed Term or Permanent post in (A) Arterial Drainage Maintenance in geographic location covered by the Mungret Depot and either a Seasonal, Fixed term or Permanent post in (C) Arterial Drainage Maintenance in geographic location covered by the Listowel Depot and either seasonal, fixed term or permanent in Construction Services in geographic location covered by the Mungret Depot. If Candidate Z turns down each job offer in turn, he/she will slowly reduce their options and eventually not be offered Arterial Drainage Maintenance or Construction Service contracts of Fixed Term or Permanent, based in either any of the selected geographic locations. If a candidate accepts a Permanent post in any of the geographical locations indicated on their application form, they will no longer be considered for a Permanent post in any of the other geographical locations indicated on their application form under this competition. Existing Internal panels will take precedence over panels created under this competition when offers are being made.

Essential Eligibility Criteria: (at the closing date)

• A current full, clean and current manual driving licence, category B & W;*1,2 Note: * (1) If your Irish driving licence is restricted to driving cars with an automatic transmission only (denoted by the code 78 appearing on the licence), you are not eligible. (2)From 1 January 2021 if you are resident in Ireland and hold a UK/NI driving licence, it is no longer valid to drive on here in Ireland. It is not legal for driving purposes and must therefore be exchanged. It is vital that you have a valid driving licence and that you are legally allowed to drive in Ireland by exchanging a UK/NI licence for an Irish driving licence. Further information available on: www.ndls.ie
• Current Safe Pass card;**

Note: ** Where a current safe pass card is not available, proof of successful completion of the Safe Pass Course prior to the closing date will be accepted.

• Experience in Maintenance and/or Construction industry; Requirements and Principal Duties of a General Operative Band 3 (Rural) - (Arterial Drainage Maintenance or Construction Service Division)

Note: The following list, which is not exhaustive, sets out the broad range of duties that may be required to be undertaken by a General Operative Band 3 (Rural) in the Arterial Drainage Maintenance or Construction Services Division. Variances in the requirements of individual posts will reflect the management and operational requirements of individual sites and areas of work.

• Concrete works; shuttering; concreting; steel-fixing; block work;
• Ground works including duct work, pipe work, hand-digging etc.;
• Plant operation, as appropriate to training received;
• Manual spraying operations, as appropriate to training received;
• Scaffolding, as appropriate to training received;
• Assist with structure inspections;
• Work on the construction and repair of bridges and other structures;
• Work on channel maintenance operations and undertake all associated tasks i.e. remove silt and debris, fence, cut back foliage etc.;
• Assist with embankment inspections;
• General maintenance of depots and installations;
• Operation of plant/equipment, including chainsaws and pole saws;
• Driving vehicles;
• Maintain ISO records and communications, as required

The General Operative is required to:

• Demonstrate flexibility and mobility, consistent with the needs of the service;
• Contribute to and maintain a good team spirit and an effective team-working environment;
• Remain calm while working under pressure when effectively dealing with incidents;
• Make sound judgements in emergency situations;
• Work on own initiative in accordance with manager/supervisor instructions whilst being an effective part of a larger team;
• Apply excellent and effective interpersonal and communication skills coupled with a professional, polite and courteous manner when dealing with colleagues, management and the public;
• Apply a positive, flexible and proactive approach to work allied with an ability to deliver an effective work presence;
• Carry out all work in an efficient and safe manner, in accordance with the directions of the Regional Engineer/Foreman, with regard to self, colleagues and the public through understanding, observance and application of Health and Safety requirements;
• Successfully undertake training as and when required;
• Be physically capable of meeting the full range of the requirements of the position;
• Carry out other duties/works deemed by management as reasonable and appropriate to the grade and to the position;
• Co-operate with the operation of and introduction of new work practices and technology e.g. tablets, smart phones, vehicle tracking, electronic information circulation incl. location reporting.

Special working conditions apply:

• Manual handling and lifting of awkward / heavy loads;
• Mechanical lifting of awkward / heavy loads;
• Environmental awareness;
• Working at heights and in confined spaces;
• Working in inclement weather conditions;
• Management of Traffic and assisting with plant mobilisation to and from sites;
• Dealing sensitively with members of the public/property owners;
• Hazards – sharps, chemicals, traffic, wildlife, uneven/soft ground, disorderly members of the public;
• Working in or near water;
• Working in large urban areas;
• Working in isolated rural areas.
• Appointees will be required to report directly to work, as directed by management, to any location in the areas under the responsibility of the assigned OPW Depot under which the position is being offered.

Contacts with:

• Staff of the Office of Public Works;
• Local Authorities, semi-state and other service/utility providers;
• Members of the public;
• External contractors and suppliers;
• Land/property owners.

This job description is intended as a general guide to the range of duties and it is neither definitive nor restrictive.

Age On the closing date for receipt of applications for this position, the following are the eligibility requirements with regard to age; - the minimum age requirement for potential applicants is 18; - the appointee will be a member of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, as defined in the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. Under the Scheme, retirement is compulsory on reaching 70 years of age.

Outside Employment The position is whole time and the officer may not engage in private practice or be connected with any outside business, which would interfere or conflict with the performance of official duties. Clarification must be sought from line management where any doubt arises. If, following appointment, the appointee is or intends to be engaged in or connected with any outside business or employment, the appointee is obliged to inform OPW HR Management (Operational) Division of such an intention.

Ill-Health Retirement For an individual who has retired from a Civil/Public service body on the grounds of ill-health his/her pension from that employment may be subject to review in accordance with the rules of illhealth retirement within the pension scheme of that employment.

Health In order to be accepted as suitable for employment, the appointee must satisfy certain criteria including suitability in respect of health. The onus is on the appointee to declare their suitability, to the best of their knowledge and belief, regarding their health status, and, in this regard, the appointee may be asked to complete a health self-declaration statement. Please note that any misstatements, incomplete statements and/or false declarations are liable to disqualify the appointee from the competition and/or result in the summary termination of their appointment to/employment in the position.

Garda Vetting Garda vetting may be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for appointment. The proposed appointee may be required to complete and return a Garda Vetting form that will be forwarded to An Garda Síochána for security checks to be undertaken. The vetting process also involves certification requirements from the police force of any country in which the proposed appointee resided. Persons selected for appointment under this competition may receive offers of appointment, the commencement and continuation of which would be subject to satisfactory Garda Vetting of the proposed appointee. Pay The General Operative Band 3 (Rural) pay scale, per week, with effect from 1st October 2024 is as follows:

€636.95 - €779.76 Payment will be made weekly by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) into a bank account of an officer’s choice. Payment cannot be made until a bank account number and bank sort code has been supplied to the Office of Public Works. Statutory deductions from salary will be made as appropriate.

Important Note: Increments may be awarded subject to changes in the terms and conditions relating to salary increments in the Civil/Public Service generally.

Citizenship Requirements Eligible candidates must be: (a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or (b) A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or (c) A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or (d) A non-EEA citizen who has a stamp 41 or a Stamp 5 visa; 1 Please note that a 50 TEU permission, which is a replacement for Stamp 4EUFAM after Brexit, is acceptable as a Stamp 4 equivalent. To qualify candidates must be eligible by the date of any job offer.