ONE MORE THING:WITH KEVIN Cardiff preparing to shuffle off to a plum posting with the European Court of Auditors, what will be expected by the Coalition Government from his successor as secretary general of the Department of Finance?

Helpfully, the Public Appointments Service has produced a substantial information booklet for aspiring candidates to mull over before submitting their applications.

“The vacancy is expected to arise early in the new year,” according to the booklet.

Only those from EU members states, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway need apply.

Candidates will be put through their paces. A shortlist will be drawn up after which applicants may be asked to complete a competitive preliminary interview; an online questionnaire; asupplementary application form; and a competitive interview conducted by the Top Level Appointments Committee.

In what might appear to some to be a novel departure from recent past practice, the new secretary general will be expected to provide “effective management and leadership” of the department and “strategic leadership as a key member of the public administration system”.

Another key responsibility will be “excellent co-ordination and co-operation with key agencies such as the Central Bank and the NTMA and its associated bodies, in relation to financial stability matters, the Revenue Commissioners in relation to taxation matters and other agencies as appropriate”.

It’s not clear if this criteria was added after the recent kerfuffle over the €3.6 billion in national debt that was being double-counted by the department until the National Treasury Management Agency, after several attempts, managed to point out the error.

Anyway, it seems an ability to find loose change down the back of the sofa might aid a candidate’s chances of landing the plum role, which will carry a €200,000-a-year salary for its seven-year term.