# Public Service Grades



## rosullivan2 (8 Apr 2011)

I read in another thread (thread# 79359) Standard vs Higher Scale in Civil Service that there is a difference between standard grades and higher grades in the public sector.

For example, if you take an Assistant Principal Officer who was appointed post-1995 (pre-1995 is a different pay rate due to PRSI etc), he/she could be an Assistant Principal Officer (AP) *or* an Assistant Principal Officer (Higher) (AP1). The higher grade is paid more.

Does anyone know where this is properly set out? I keep seeing references to AP1 and the link above says that is Assistant Principal Officer (Higher), but is that clearly set out in an official document somewhere? Just trying to work out what payscales apply to what jobs.


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## gipimann (8 Apr 2011)

Here's a link to publicjobs.ie which outlines the payscales for civil servants (including the grades you mentioned).
Note that the AP/AP1 grade applies both to pre-1995 and post-1995 appointees, and there are different payscales listed for each group.

I don't think the AP/AP1 grade terminology is used in the public service (certainly not used in HSE, although there may be an equivalent grade)


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## csirl (8 Apr 2011)

They are both relatively senior civil service grades. The AP1 grade applies to certain posts with more responsibility than an ordinary AP post hence they are paid more. In reality, they could be considered different grades. An AP who wants to be an AP1 has to enter a promotion competition.


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## rosullivan2 (10 Apr 2011)

Thanks for the replies.  What I'm trying to work out is:

Is Assistant Principal Officer = AP?
Is Assistant Principal Officer (Higher) = AP1?

If so, is that actually written down anywhere?  The reason I am asking is that I have seen a job which is graded at "AP1" and I want to see if that is Assistant Principal Officer (Higher) grade.

Thanks!


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## gipimann (10 Apr 2011)

Yes, AP1 is the higher grade of Assistant Principal Officer.


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## rosullivan2 (11 Apr 2011)

Thanks gipimann - do you know is that actually explained anywhere in any guidance or website or is it just common knowledge?  It's amazing how little info on this there seems to be on the web!


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## gipimann (11 Apr 2011)

A quick google brought up this IPA discussion document - there's a note on the grading structure at the back of the document.


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## rosullivan2 (28 Apr 2011)

gipimann said:


> A quick google brought up this IPA discussion document - there's a note on the grading structure at the back of the document.


 
Thanks gipimann. That paper doesn't actually explain what "AP1" is.  What I am looking for is any offical document (e.g. a Department Circular) which specifies that "AP1" is the same thing as Assistant Principal (Higher).


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## dereko1969 (28 Apr 2011)

You can probably waste a lot of time googling trying to find that out. Take it from people in the Civil Service (myself and Gipimann) that it is the same thing.


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