Mr. John Hogan:

The benefit we get from it is what it comes down to. For example, from my perspective, I have done diplomas in organisational development and executive coaching, which might not necessarily have immediately fit with my skill set as an assistant secretary but which have actually been hugely beneficial for me, for the wider team that operates around me and for the Department as a whole in terms of broadening my perspective on how people operate, but also how they operate themselves as individuals in the organisation, and how they operate against best practice and what I would see as organisational development opportunities in other areas. There is the whole piece about culture, which was part of the course that I did. A huge issue for us at the moment is maintaining, enhancing and developing the culture of the Department of Finance against a background where the way we work and our mode of working has changed fundamentally as a result of the blended working arrangements.

We look at these things. To be honest, I am as much into the business of equipping people with skill sets around the core areas of competency as allowing for personal development, which we also get back in spades when we invest in that area.