General Operative

The Office of Public Works (OPW) invites applications for positions in the grade of General Operative Band 3 (Rural) in the OPW’s 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 West Region Division also provides professional advice on the advancement of flood defence schemes and related matters.

Schemes construction by the 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 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 and requirements for the position.

Internal panels take precedence for appointment over open competitions.

Separate panels for the Headford Depot area, the Ballina Depot area and the Lifford 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 Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and any works managed by the Headford Depot Area

A. Arterial Drainage Maintenance

B. Construction Services Division

(2) Counties Mayo, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo and any works managed by the Ballina Depot Area.

C. Arterial Drainage Maintenance

D. Construction Services Division

(3) Counties Donegal, Leitrim and any works managed by the Lifford Depot Area.

E. Arterial Drainage Maintenance

F. Construction Services Division

Pay

The General Operative Band 3 (Rural) pay scale, per week, with effect from 1st June 2026 is as follows:

Non-Personal Pension Contribution (Non-PPC):

This rate will apply where the appointee is not required to make a Personal Pension Contribution:

€678.98, €713.93, €741.19, €752.39, €757.03, €767.93, €778.77, €786.15, €796.91.

Personal Pension Contribution (PPC):

This rate will apply where the appointee is a new entrant or an existing civil servant appointed on or after 1 January 2013 and is required to make a Personal Pension Contribution:

€708.25, €744.51, €767.03, €778.42, €786.39, €797.68, €809.06, €813.45, €824.66.

The successful candidate will be paid at the appropriate point of the pay scale.

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

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.

Additional Payments

Various subsistence/allowances are paid where appropriate.

Where applicable, overtime of time and a half or double time is payable for any hours worked in excess of 39 hours a week.

Annual Leave and Public Holidays

Annual Leave is granted in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997.

Currently the maximum allowance is 25 days per annum.

Annual leave allowance for staff working less than full-time is calculated on a pro-rata basis to that of a full-time equivalent.

Good Friday is a fixed day of annual leave.

Public Holidays will be granted in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997.

The successful candidate will be required at times to complete other General Operative Band 3 duties set out by management.

These duties can be viewed here.

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

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;

 Working adjacent to overhead power lines and other utility infrastructure;

 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.

Reporting Relationship

The General Operative Band 3 (Rural) (Arterial Drainage Maintenance or Construction Service Division), will be assigned a location/function by the relevant Head of Section (Engineer Grade 1) and will report to the Engineer Grade 2 and any other person to whom authority has been delegated.

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.

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.

Confidentiality

Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 2014 applications will be treated in strict confidence.

All aspects of the application and assessment process are treated as strictly confidential and are not disclosed to anyone, outside of those persons directly involved in an aspect of the assessment process.

Other important information

The Office of Public Works will not be responsible for refunding any expenses incurred by candidates.

The admission of a person to a recruitment process, or an invitation to attend any element of the selection process, is not to be taken as implying that the Office of Public Works is satisfied that such 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 you to note that the onus is on you to ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements for the competition before attending.

If you do not meet these essential entry requirements but attend for selection tests/interview, you will be putting yourself to unnecessary expense.

Should the person assigned to a post decline, or having accepted it, relinquish it or if an additional vacancy arises the Office of Public Works, may, at its discretion, select another person for appointment on the results of this selection process.