Limiting applicants to top Department of Finance job ‘brings us back to the bad old days’

Government ‘intent on producing its own version of Reeling in the Years’ by not opening applications to those outside the civil service, according to Ged Nash

Ged Nash, the Labour Party finance spokesman, said the practice of open competition for senior posts has been established for a decade. Picture: Rollingnews.ie

Limiting applications for the job of running the Department of Finance to internal candidates would represent a return to the “nod and wink” culture of the past, the government has been warned.

The Business Post revealed on Sunday that the €212,000 a year position of secretary general of the department will be restricted to civil service candidates and will not be open to the public.

The position falls vacant in July when the incumbent Derek ...