Principal Officer 2025

jc123456 · 13-10-2025 03:17PM

I have an interview coming up at a public service body, which is graded at the PO higher level (and probably has some responsibilities more similar to Assistant Secretary).

Does anyone who recently did the PO interviews have any further intelligence to share on the types of questions that were asked or the specific competencies that were tested on?

jc123456 · 22-10-2025 04:16PM

In case anyone is still active in this thread.

Following my last comment, I am shortlisted for round two of a PO higher level interview with a government statutory body (not a Department).

First round was a competency style interview.

The second-round interview will involve an assessment using practical methods such as presentation skills, writing assignments or role play

Does anyone have any experience with a second round interview like this? What do they ask?

Dutyful · 22-10-2025 09:04PM

Well done on getting through to the second round and best of luck with the next assessment.

Is the statutory body running the competition themselves?

jc123456 · 22-10-2025 10:04PM

Yup, not through PublicJobs

Dutyful · 23-10-2025 02:20AM

I think I'd ask them for more information about what to expect. Interested to know now too!

Dutyful · 25-10-2025 02:10PM

Has anyone been assigned from this panel yet?

M-Type Star · 31-10-2025 11:01AM

Does anyone have an insight/ information into the 2023 communications PO competition?

confusted · 03-11-2025 01:11PM

About six weeks on from interview results and it looks like nobody here has been appointed. Accepting that not everyone who placed is on this forum, and given the general silence, it's starting to look like this panel is continuing at the same speed of the last one, at least for its final year when very few were appointed.

tea and coffee · 03-11-2025 01:36PM

Was anyone on here successful? I'm not sure if anyone was.

confusted · 03-11-2025 03:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123958769#Comment_123958769

Maybe not.

AndNowTheLiars · 03-11-2025 11:47PM

I made the panel for this PO competition. There has been no word yet for me but that's not to say others haven't been called. There are only 24 on the panel

compoundfactor · 14-11-2025 04:02PM

Presume there's no sign of movement on the panel and or a sign of batch 1.2?

Dutyful · 14-11-2025 11:00PM

Doesn't look like it. Not a very successful pilot so far!

compoundfactor · 15-11-2025 08:10AM

Can’t say it’s too shocking considering how the last one went, though I’m sure at least this panel that’s been formed will be used over the year

POquery · 15-11-2025 02:27PM

I heard two have been taken off the panel. Very bad form really considering they said the size of the panel was based on expected demand. And I'd guess they could well have been taken by their current depts.

tea and coffee · 16-12-2025 12:59AM

Crickets

Only 3 months left in the panel. I don't understand why they went to all that effort and expense.

Are there just no vacancies at the moment? I feel like recruitment for CS general service grades has really slowed. Never a good sign for the economy, or am I being paranoid?

confusted · 16-12-2025 12:15PM

I don't know, I think signs were there from last year of recruitment for the previous PO Competition when the numbers placed were tiny and it looks like it hasn't changed in the last 3-4 months. Will be interested to see if union has any update on placements from current comp but silence on here says a lot.

TaurenDruid · 17-12-2025 11:34AM

This panel seems to be moving at the same glacially slow pace as the last one. But I don't think that's across the board. Our place is still recruiting specialist grades (AP equivalent) and we can't recruit ICT specialist grades for love nor money!

goofy141 · 12-01-2026 04:31PM

Does anyone have an update on this panel?

John_odonoghue · 15-01-2026 12:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124076474#Comment_124076474

Hi TaurenDruid

I am currently sitting on 2 AP-IT panels. On one of them has not moved since April.

The PAS AP-IT panel is for all of Dublin.

If you work for a Civil Service department, get in touch with PAS.

DM me for more details.

AndNowTheLiars · 15-01-2026 10:51PM

Apparently the AHCPS now involved

BigElmo · 18-01-2026 10:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124151068#Comment_124151068

What's the story?

goodmacs · 22-01-2026 06:53PM

I’m on the panel and I’ve heard nothing about a role yet. No updates forthcoming from PJ about how may have been called from the panel, or its status in general. I’ve heard nothing about the AHCPS either (but would be interested to hear what initiated that). It’s becoming a little frustrating for sure.

AndNowTheLiars · 29-01-2026 09:25PM

Panel extended until the end of September

M-Type Star · 02-02-2026 04:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124151068#Comment_124151068

In what way? In general, there don't seem to be any PO gigs out there at all. We were promised mass retirement after covid :-)

confusted · 02-03-2026 08:25PM

According to union info, four people from the panel have been placed.

juniper87 · 04-03-2026 09:27AM

Is there any chance of them interviewing another batch? I was top 60 in order of merit, so was holding so hope, but it doesn't seem like it will be forthcoming.

Dutyful · 14-03-2026 09:58AM

Same - was very hopeful with my OOM but it seems unlikely that there will be a second batch interviewed.

jc123456 · 28-03-2026 08:38AM

New PO competition advertised. Limited to current POs and those who were successful after the first round of interviews in the 2025 PO competition. Not sure if they will expand to do any more interviews.

tea and coffee · 28-03-2026 11:22AM

PO higher?

Principal Officer 2025

Comments