Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 597: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs 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. [29299/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 598: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs 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. [29314/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 597 and 598 together.

Overtime is paid at standard rates for additional attendance to staff up to and including higher executive officer or administrative officer in my Department's press office. There is no on call allowance, and no ex gratia payments are made to staff in the office for being on call or for additional attendance.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 599: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs 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. [29329/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Time off in lieu of extra attendance payments is allowable for grades up to and including higher executive officer or administrative officer. The granting of time off in lieu is at the discretion of the head of the Department, having regard to the exigencies of the service, and is not allowed in any case where it would give rise to additional overtime working. As time in lieu taken is stored on each individual officer's personal record, the resources required to collate the information sought is not justified.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 600: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs 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. [29344/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Apart from appropriate provision of records to other Departments in the context of transfers or promotions, no personnel files of staff in my Department have been copied or given to external parties.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 601: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs 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. [29359/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Two members of staff have been allowed leave of absence in excess of two months to undertake a masters degree in public policy. One of these has successfully completed the programme while the other has only begun.