General Operative

The Office of Public Works (OPW) invites applications from eligible candidates for Seasonal, Fixed Term and Permanent positions that may arise in the grade of General Operative Band 1 (Rural) in the West Region Arterial Drainage Maintenance and Construction Services Division.

The positions are Non-Established State Industrial posts based on a 39-hour week (full-time) rostered over 5 days (Monday to Friday), and appointments will be subject to a probationary period of 7 months which may be extended to 10 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 of the positions 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 sector 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 1 (Rural) Arterial Drainage Maintenance position and/or the General Operative Band 1 (Rural) Flood Relief Scheme Construction position, 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 a competitive interview.

The competitive interview process will be used by OPW to select the candidate deemed suitable for appointment, and a reserve panel, effective for a limited period, will be formed and may be used to fill certain sanctioned seasonal, fixed term, or permanent positions that may arise in the 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 the 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, when considered appropriate by OPW management.

Any offer of a position will be subject to the candidate satisfactorily meeting the OPW’s requirements with regard to references, health, and Garda vetting. If the candidate does not satisfactorily meet the OPW’s requirements in these regards, the candidate will receive no further consideration under the competition and will not proceed to appointment.

Internal competitions 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 1 (Rural) - Arterial Drainage Maintenance & Construction Service positions

A. Counties Galway, Mayo, Roscommon and any works managed by the Headford Depot Area

• Arterial Drainage Maintenance

• Construction Services Division

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

• Arterial Drainage Maintenance

• Construction Services Division

C. Counties Donegal, Leitrim and any works managed by the Lifford Depot Area

• Arterial Drainage Maintenance

• Construction Services Division

The following process will apply in relation to offers: Candidates may indicate preferences for positions in either Arterial Drainage Maintenance or Construction Services. 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. Candidates 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.

Example: Candidate Z indicates a preference for Arterial Drainage Maintenance in Locations (A) Headford Depot and (B) Ballina Depot, and Construction Services in Location (C) Lifford Depot. Candidate Z is offered a Fixed Term post in (A) Arterial Drainage Maintenance in the geographic location covered by the Headford Depot. Candidate Z refuses this post, so he/she will no longer be offered a Fixed Term post in (A) Arterial Drainage Maintenance in the geographic location covered by the Headford Depot. However, Candidate Z will remain on the panel to be offered a Seasonal or a Permanent post in (A) Arterial Drainage Maintenance in the geographic location covered by the Headford Depot, and either a Seasonal, Fixed Term, or Permanent post in (C) Arterial Drainage Maintenance in the geographic location covered by the Ballina Depot, and either Seasonal, Fixed Term, or Permanent post in Construction Services in the geographic location covered by the Headford 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 Seasonal, Fixed Term, or Permanent, based in any of the selected geographic locations.

Essential Eligibility Criteria (at the closing date):

• A minimum of 2 years’ continuous experience in Maintenance/Construction;

• A current full, clean, and current manual driving licence, category B & W.*

  • 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 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 is 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.

Desirable Eligibility Criteria for Construction:

• Proven Supervisor/Ganger experience;

• 3 years continuous experience in 2 or more of the following areas of expertise:

  • Shuttering, falsework and formwork

  • Steel fixing

  • Pipelaying

  • Concrete and ground works

  • Earthworks

  • Piling

  • Roadworks

Pay: The General Operative Band 1 (Rural) pay scale, per week, with effect from 1st February 2026, is as follows: €745.20 - €907.94 per week.

The successful candidate will be paid at the appropriate point of the pay scale. Payment will be made weekly by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) into a bank account of the officer’s choice. Payment cannot be made until a bank account number and bank sort code have 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.

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.

Reporting Relationship: The successful candidate will be assigned a location/function by the Engineer Grade I relevant to the particular panel and will report directly to and take directions from the Foreperson or any other person to whom authority has been delegated.