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Code of Practice on Recruitment and Selection Procedures

Our recruitment process is guided by fairness, transparency, and legal compliance, ensuring equal opportunities and data protection for all applicants.

General Principles

This Code of Practice sets out the commitment by Galway County Council to comply with standards of best practice and integrity in its recruitment and selection procedures.  It also outlines the obligations and responsibilities of persons who apply for employment with the Council, as well as their rights.  It is based on the general principles of fairness and consistency in approach to all candidates, through competency-based selection procedures which are conducted in an open and transparent manner.

Advertising

The Council is committed to ensuring that vacancies are communicated openly to afford equality of opportunity. Advertising mechanisms are selected which offer value for money and are appropriate to the vacancy under consideration. Vacancies are normally advertised in the national and local newspapers, as well as the Council’s website, social media channels and the national website www.localgovernmentjobs.ie

The Public Appointments Service advertises and recruits Local Authority higher grades i.e. Senior Executive and Higher Grades at www.publicjobs.ie

Legislation

The Council has regard to all relevant legislative requirements and considerations in its recruitment and selection processes, including;

  • Official Languages Act – in accordance with government policy and having regard to our county’s cultural identity, the Council conducts optional oral Irish interviews as part of its recruitment process, which awards an additional 3% / 6% of marks attained at main interview, to candidates who demonstrate a reasonable / very good knowledge of the Irish language.      The Council is committed to achieving its obligations under the Official Languages Act on a planned basis.
  • Freedom Of Information – all information received and processed by the Council is treated in confidence subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act.
  • Data Protection Acts – the information submitted with your application is used solely in processing your candidature, and such information is held subject to the rights and obligations of the Data Protection Acts.  The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force on the 25th May 2018, replacing the existing data protection framework under the EU Data Protection Directive. When your application is received, Galway County Council creates a record in your name, which contains much of the personal information you have supplied. This personal record is used solely in processing your candidature. Such information held is subject to the rights and obligations set out in the Data Protection Acts, 1988 & 2018.  Our general retention period for applications and interview notes is 2 years and documents are then securely destroyed. The Personnel Department may use external selection board members and these board members may receive, or have access to, candidate application data in order to assist in the determination of suitability for a specific role; selection board members have a duty to keep such information confidential and secure and selection board members are aware of this duty. To make a request to access your personal data please submit your request by email to: dpo@galwaycoco.ie ensuring that you describe the records you seek in the greatest possible detail to enable us to identify the relevant record(s).
  • Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty

The Public Sector Equality and Human Rights Duty (the Duty) is a statutory obligation on public bodies to have regard to the need to: Eliminate discrimination; Promote equality of opportunity and treatment of its staff and the persons to whom it provides services; and Protect the human rights of its members, staff, and the persons to whom it provides services.

Galway County Council’s interview process and Interview Boards have regard to all equality considerations.  Employment opportunities are accessible to all potentially qualified applicants, including people with disabilities, for whom appropriate facilities and reasonable accommodations are provided to ensure an equal opportunity at interview.

Galway County Council is a place where all employees have the same opportunities for recognition and career development and are treated fairly and equitably at work.

We continue to be committed to addressing workplace barriers to equality, supporting diversity and creating an open and inclusive workplace community.