Labour Court recommends seniority and suitability for planning inspector allowances

The Labour Court recommended that An Bord Pleanala allocate allowance posts for two planning inspectors and one senior planning inspector on a seniority and suitability basis. The recommendation was signed on 6 February 2013. The Court also recommended that the parties negotiate future selection criteria giving appropriate weight to merit, with the dispute open to referral back if they could not agree. The Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union sought selection based on seniority and suitability, citing a 2003 agreement. An Bord Pleanala argued the posts were outside that agreement and should be filled through a merit-based competition.