Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 388: To ask the Minister for Finance the rates of overtime or additional allowances, payable to staff who work in his Departments press office in respect of persons being on call and their additional attendance at work before or after normal hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29292/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 389: To ask the Minister for Finance the amounts of [i]ex gratia[/i] payments made to staff in his Departments press office in respect of persons being on call and their additional attendance at work before or after normal hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29307/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 388 and 389 together.

The staffing of my Department's press office consists of a press officer, a higher executive officer, an executive officer and a clerical officer. With the exception of the press officer, each of the other staff members is entitled to claim overtime at standard Civil Service rates in respect of additional attendance outside normal office hours. They do not receive any other type of payment to compensate for such attendance. The press officer, who is also a civil servant but is in a non-overtime grade, is in receipt of an allowance equivalent to 10% of salary.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for Finance the amount of compensatory leave granted or due to be granted to staff in his Department; the individuals to whom they were granted in respect of additional attendance at work before or after normal hours of attendance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29322/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with established procedures in Civil Service employment, my Department permits time off in lieu to grades which are entitled to paid overtime, generally staff up to the level of higher executive officer. This permits staff to avail of extra time off rather than pay for extra attendance. Such agreements are agreed in advance and must be consistent with the work demands. This is dealt with in individual sections and a central record is not maintained. Officers at APO level and above are not entitled to paid overtime. The salary and terms and conditions for such officers are intended to cover significant extra attendance. However, in the case of one such officer, who undertook significant additional attendance over a prolonged period between 2002 and 2004, arrangements are being made to recognise this attendance through a combination of annual leave, additional leave and paid study leave.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 391: To ask the Minister for Finance if the personnel files of staff in his Department have been copied or given to external parties; if so, the safeguards which have been put in place to ensure that no personal data of any member of staff in his Department will be released to third parties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29337/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The holding and use of personal information is governed by the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003. On commencing employment with the Department, all staff are informed of these requirements and sign confirming knowledge and acceptance of these requirements. In addition, staff with access to personnel files are briefed on the confidential nature of their work. All personnel files in this Department are safely and securely maintained in the personnel unit.

In the course of matters relating to sick leave, an employee's personal sick leave details may be passed to the office of the chief medical officer for the Civil Service for advice in the normal course of events. Where requests for information from other bodies are received, the advice of the Office of the Chief State Solicitor is obtained, and the matter dealt with accordingly.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 392: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of staff in his Department to whom leave of absence, or any other absence from normal duties or place of work, in excess of two months was granted for educational purposes in any year since 2002; the nature of the educational course undertaken in each case; if there are terms or conditions relating to academic achievement attached to the granting of such leave; if personnel who were granted such leave failed to complete their courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29352/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2003, my Department has permitted two staff at HEO-AO-APO grades, to participate in the masters programme in policy analysis administered by the Centre for Management and Organisation Development, leading to an MSc in policy analysis from UCD.

Participants enter into a contract which provides for refund of course fees and salary in the event of the person leaving the Civil Service within two years of completion of the course. Participants are also required to reach a satisfactory standard for attendance, course work and satisfactory performance in the programme. The selected candidates from 2003 have satisfactorily completed the two-year course of study and have been placed in work units appropriate to their newly acquired skills. A further four staff are currently engaged in the programme, two in first year and two in second year.

My Department supported, as a pilot project, participation of two staff at administrative officer level, in the masters programme in economics in UCD in the academic year 2004-05. The course fees were pre-funded and full paid leave for one academic year was approved with strict pre-conditions, signed and agreed by staff and management, that they attend all lectures, complete all project work satisfactorily, pass all exams and agree to work in an appropriate area of the Department for a further period of three years following completion of the course. All fees must be refunded if these staff leave the public service within two years of completing the course. Both participants in the pilot project have completed the programme successfully.

The Department has granted career breaks, that is unpaid special leave, to six staff, from clerical officer to assistant principal level since 2002. The career breaks ranged from six months duration to five years.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 393: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of staff who applied for a refund of course fees in respect of courses undertaken at night or evenings; the value of refunds expected to be made by his Department in 2005; the number of staff to whom approval to attend a course was granted in the last academic year but did not subsequently apply for the refund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29367/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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In the academic year 2004-05, 38 staff members in my Department made an application under the refund of fees scheme in respect of courses undertaken at night or evenings. The expected total cost of the scheme for 2005 is approximately €62,000. Three staff members who were approved to undertake a course under the scheme in the academic year 2004-05 did not subsequently apply for a refund of fees, as they did not pursue the particular courses.