Clerical Officer

1.     OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

The Courts Service established a 10-year strategic vision plan for the future of the Courts Service to re-design services around court users, leveraging digital technology to streamline services and ultimately delivering a modern court system. We are currently at the halfway point through our strategic vision which holds great excitement and opportunity to be a member of Courts Service staff and be part of our evolving and modernising journey to 2030.

The Courts Service is offering entry-level positions for individuals to join our team as a first step toward a rewarding and fulfilling career. These exciting on-site roles provide a vibrant work environment and the opportunity to make a real impact.

We are recruiting roles to our offices in:

County of Donegal / Letterkenny

Note, offers may be extended to other nearby locations for successful candidates.

The Clerical Officer is often the first point of contact for our customers and may be seen as the face of our organisation. In this role you will have an opportunity to learn, develop and gain a knowledge of court proceedings and will be at the forefront of providing our customers access to justice. The office environment is rewarding and fulfilling and gives successful candidates an excellent foundation for career progression.

You will play a key role in the implementation of our exciting modernisation programme and as such, we want to make you the best that you can be.

A Clerical Officer will be responsible for:

·       Support management and colleagues in providing efficient, team-oriented, and customer-focused service.

·       Play a crucial role in assisting customers, including the most vulnerable in society, on a one-to-one basis.

·       Network and liaise with Court stakeholders, support the Judiciary, and assist legal representatives and customers to ensure efficient and user-friendly service.

·       Prepare Court lists and files, ensuring customers have access to justice.

·       Perform general clerical duties.

·       Use Information Technology daily.

·       Maintain high-quality records in a thorough and organised manner.

·       Check all work meticulously to ensure it meets high standards.

·       Approach work in a careful and methodical manner, displaying accuracy at all times.

Qualifications

On the closing date of Friday 07 August 2026 candidates must have:

·       Be at least 18 years of age on or before the closing date.

·       Fulfil the Citizenship requirements, Health & Character, Garda Vetting & Security Clearance and Reference & Qualification Checks requirements.

·       Ensure that they meet the criteria regarding Public & Civil Service Redundancy/III Health Retirement Schemes.

·       A Leaving Certificate or equivalent.

Required Skills and Behaviours

Relevant knowledge and skills to undertake the duties of the position, including a strong command of the English language and the ability to:

·      Follow direction and take ownership of tasks.

·      Organise and prioritise work effectively.

·      Work well with colleagues and the public.

·      Adapt to changing demands.

·      Communicate clearly and concisely.

It is important to us that staff feel supported and are given every opportunity to learn, develop and progress in our organisation.

Our people and organisation strategy places a high emphasis on diversity and wellness, personal and career development and employee engagement, but what does that mean for you?

We will provide an environment where you can:

·       Enjoy the benefits of flexible working hours for a healthy work-life balance.

·       Advance your career with regular promotion opportunities.

·       Receive strong management support to achieve your career goals and development needs.

·       Expand your knowledge of the justice system through internal mobility.

·       Benefit from the refund of fees initiative for further education.

·       Utilise study and exam leave.

Under our People and Organisation Strategy, we are developing a comprehensive training program that prioritises the learning and development of our people. Your journey will begin with a thorough induction program and continue with ongoing engagement with the Learning and Development unit.

Application should be made by logging into the advertisement link.

The closing date is 12 noon on Friday 07 August 2026. Applications received after the closing date and time will not be accepted.

Candidates who do not hold or do not demonstrate the skills and experience will not be called for interview.

The admission of a person to a competition, or invitation to attend an interview, is not to be taken as implying the Courts Service is satisfied such a person fulfils the requirements of the competition or is not disqualified by law from holding the position and does not carry a guarantee that your application will receive further consideration. It is important, therefore, for candidates to note that the onus is on them to ensure that they meet the eligibility requirements for the competition before attending for interview. If a candidate does not meet these essential entry requirements but nevertheless attends for interview, that candidate will be putting him or herself to unnecessary expense.

The Selection Process will involve:

·             Shortlisting of candidates, on the basis of the information contained in their CV (No more than 2 pages), cover letter (No more than 1 page) and application form

·             a competitive interview

Assessment

The Courts Service will short list to select a group for interview who, based on an examination of the CV & cover letter, appear to be the most suitable for the position.

Those that demonstrate evidence at the required level will be called to interview.

Skills and capabilities

Candidates should demonstrate that they have the ability to carry out successfully the duties of the role, as well as the general skills and capabilities namely:

Building Future Readiness

Digital Focus

·       Utilises technology and digital skills to drive efficiencies and support better service delivery

Openness to Change

·       Shows interest and openness to change, innovation and new technology or processes

·       Willing to try new approaches, seeking support when needed and openly sharing and learning from mistakes

Innovation & Creative Solutions

·       Puts forward innovative ideas, creative solutions or helpful suggestions, no matter how small

Building Expertise & Upskilling for the Future

·       Enthusiastic about development opportunities, demonstrating a positive attitude, openness to feedback and willingness to learn

·       Committed to improving knowledge and skills for the future

·       Develops specialist expertise in their area, through listening and learning from others

Evidence Informed Delivery

Delivering Excellence

Managing Work Effectively

·       Manages, plans and prioritises workload to ensure targets and deadlines are met

·       Works in a systematic, organised and efficient manner

·       Uses their time effectively, seeking additional work or volunteering to support others during quiet periods

Delivering Quality Outcomes & Service

·       Maintains a focus on quality, accuracy and attention to detail, even when completing routine tasks

·       Delivers high quality and professional customer service

·       Actively seeks support, checks and reviews their work to ensure high standards

Attitude, Ownership & Flexibility

·       Takes ownership and responsibility over work, strives to become self-sufficient in their area of responsibility

·       Gets up to speed with new tasks or roles at an appropriate pace and asks questions to ensure correct understanding

·       Flexible, agile and resilient in the face of challenges or changing demands, maintaining a ‘can-do’ attitude and seeking support as necessary

Handling Information, Problems and Decisions

Gathering & Processing Information

·       Ability to gather, understand and work with information from a range of different sources

·       Handles all information and data carefully, particularly when dealing with sensitive or confidential matters

·       Checks, processes, and interprets information and data, in an accurate and timely manner

Problem Solving

·       Identifies and solves problems in an effective and efficient manner, with support

·       Understands when to escalate issues, sharing all relevant information and working with others to find a solution

Informed Judgement & Decision Making

·       Makes good judgements and decisions, considering the available information and following the relevant procedures or protocol

·       Makes appropriate and timely decisions on matters within own remit, seeking support and referring decisions upward, where necessary

Communicating & Collaborating

Collaboration, Teamwork & Building Relationships

·       Utilises interpersonal skills to build positive and effective working relationships, even in a blended or hybrid working environment

·       Effective collaboration and teamworking skills, plays their part and works well with team members

Effective Communication

·       Communicates in a clear, helpful and appropriate manner verbally, digitally, and in writing

·       Willing to communicate openly, sharing their views, thoughts and concerns

·       Keeps others updated, sharing all relevant details

·       Approaches difficult conversations with care and professionalism, seeking support when required

Engaging, Including & Listening

·       Listens carefully to others and takes on board their views, guidance and feedback

·       Appreciates diversity and makes an effort to listen, include and engage with a variety of people

Candidates with Disabilities

Interviews will take place in Letterkenny. Interviews will be structured in format, with candidates asked to provide examples of the capabilities for the role as outlined in Section 7 of this document.

If a candidate fails to confirm their attendance for interview, their application will be withdrawn.

If a candidate confirms their attendance and fails to show or provide a sufficient reason and timing for not showing, their application will be withdrawn.

Panel Formation

To be considered for the panel you must receive 50% or more in all capabilities.

Candidates who successfully pass the interview process may obtain a place on a panel and may, within the life of the panel, be considered for subsequent approved vacancies if they arise for this role.

The candidate who obtains first place on the panel will be the first candidate considered for a position, subject to satisfactory clearances, and so on in order of merit.

The panel will be established for 2 years and appointments may be made from this panel as vacancies arise.

Candidates who have not been offered a position at the expiry of the panel will have no claim to any further positions thereafter because of having been on the panel.

A candidate will only be offered a position once. If the candidate refuses a position, they will be removed from the panel.

Confidentiality

Candidates can expect that all enquiries, applications and all aspects of the proceedings to the extent that they are managed by the Courts Service are treated as strictly confidential subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2014. However, candidates should note that all application material may be made available to the interview board. Certain items of information, not specific to any individual, are extracted from computer records for general statistical purposes.

Garda Vetting

Garda vetting will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for appointment. The applicant will be required to complete and return a Garda Vetting form should they come under consideration for appointment.

This form will be forwarded to An Garda Siochána for security checks on all Irish and Northern Irish addresses at which they resided. Enquiries may also be made with the police force of any country in which the applicant under consideration for appointment resided. If the applicant subsequently comes under consideration for another position, they will be required to supply this information again.

Other important information

The Courts Service will not be responsible for refunding any expenses incurred by candidates.

Prior to recommending any candidate for appointment to this position the Courts Service will make all such enquiries that are deemed necessary to determine the suitability of that candidate. Until all stages of the recruitment process have been fully completed a final determination cannot be made nor can it be deemed or inferred that such a determination has been made.

Should the person recommended for appointment decline, or having accepted it, relinquish it, or if an additional vacancy arises the Courts Service may, at its discretion, select and recommend another person for appointment on the results of this selection process.

Review and Complaint Procedures under the Code of Practice for Appointments to Positions in the Civil and Public Service

If a candidate is unhappy following the outcome of any stage of a selection process, they can either:

1.     Request a Review of a decision made during the process Or

2.     Make a Complaint that the selection process followed was unfair

A candidate can follow either one of the two procedures in relation to the same aspect of a selection process, but not both. Where a review of a selection process has taken place under Section 7 (as detailed below), a complainant may not seek a further review of the same process under Section 8, other than in the most exceptional circumstances that will be determined by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) at its sole discretion.

There is no obligation on the Courts Service to suspend an appointment process while a Review or Complaint is being considered. However, the CPSA expects that, where possible, the Courts Service will intervene in cases where it finds an error is likely to have occurred.

Requesting a Review under Section 7

A request for review may be taken by a candidate should they be dissatisfied with an action or decision taken by the Courts Service. The Courts Service will consider requests for review in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 of the Code of Practice for Appointments to Positions in the Civil and Public Service published by the CPSA.

When making a request for a review, the candidate must support their request by outlining the facts they believe show that the action taken or decision reached was wrong. A request for review may be refused if the candidate cannot support their request.

The Informal Review will consist of a desk-based examination of any available information in relation to the recruitment process and the decision taken regarding the candidate’s application. The outcome of the Informal Review Process will be communicated to the requester in writing.

•       A request for Informal Review must be made within 5 working days of notification of the decision and will normally take place between the candidate and a representative of the Courts Service who had played a key role in the administration of the selection process.

•       Where a candidate remains dissatisfied following any such informal discussion, he/she may adopt the formal procedures set out below.

A request for Formal Review must be made within 5 working days of either the notification of the selection decision, or the notification of the outcome of the Informal Review process. Any extension of these time limits will only be granted in the most exceptional of circumstances and will be at the sole discretion of the Chief Executive.

•       The candidate must address his/her concerns in relation to the process in writing to the Personnel Officer of the Courts Service (via email to careers@courts.ie, or in writing to Personnel Officer, Human Resources, 15/24 Phoenix Street North, Smithfield, Dublin 7), outlining the facts that they believe show an action taken or decision reached was wrong.

•       The Formal Review will be conducted by a person who is completely independent of the selection process

•       The outcome of the Formal Review must generally be notified to the candidate within 25 working days of receipt of the request for review. If the investigation does not produce a decision within this time, the Courts Service must keep the candidate informed of the status of the review and the reasons for the delay.

Salary

The salary scale for the position (rates effective from June 2026) is as follows:

Clerical Officer - Personal Pension Contribution Salary Scale:

611.75 645.43 654.01 670.69 695.32 719.93 744.51 762.42 782.74 806.29 822.89 846.23 869.42 905.60 (NMAX), 934.03 (LSI[1]), 958.80 (LSI[2])

The PPC pay rate applies when the individual is required to pay a Personal Pension Contribution (otherwise known as a main scheme contribution) in accordance with the rules of their main/personal superannuation scheme. This is different to a contribution in respect of membership of a Spouses’ and Children’s scheme, or the Additional Superannuation Contributions (ASC).

A different rate will apply where the appointee is not required to make a Personal Pension Contribution.

Long service increments may be payable after 3(LSI1) and 6(LSI2) years satisfactory service at the maximum of the scale.