Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 753: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the rates of overtime or additional allowances payable to staff who work in her Department's press office in respect of persons being on call and their additional attendance at work before or after normal hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29302/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 754: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amounts of [i]ex gratia[/i] payments made to staff in her Department's press office in respect of persons being on call and their additional attendance at work before or after normal hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29317/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 755: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount of compensatory leave granted or due to be granted to staff in her Department; the individuals to whom they were granted in respect of additional attendance at work before or after normal hours of attendance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29332/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 753 to 755, inclusive, together.

Where additional hours over and above normal working hours are worked by officers in the press office or any other unit of my Department, any such officers who are in grades designated as overtime grades are entitled to claim overtime or time off in lieu of overtime in respect of additional hours worked. Ex gratia or on call allowances are not paid to the officers in the press office.

The Department of Finance has set out, in a circular letter to all personnel officers, the general instructions regarding the arrangements for compensating extra attendance by members of general service grades up to and including higher executive officer, either by payment of overtime or by time off in lieu of extra attendance.

My Department adheres to these general instructions on extra attendance by officers in grades designated as overtime grades, that is, grades up to and including higher executive officer. Rates of overtime payable are in accordance with those set out by the Department of Finance from time to time.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 756: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the personnel files of staff in her 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 her Department will be released to third parties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29347/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Individual officers of the Department of Education and Science are entitled to view their own personnel file on request and to receive a copy of any or all of the contents of the file. Personnel files are made available to the chief medical officer in certain sick leave cases. It would be general practice that information on personnel files for individual officers would be treated as strictly confidential and would not be disclosed to any third party without the consent of the officer concerned.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 757: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of staff in her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [29362/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Four members of my Department's staff have received leave of absence in excess of two months for educational purposes since 2002. One staff member participated in the visiting research fellowship programme at the Policy Institute, Trinity College Dublin — TCD — from September to December 2004 — four months. The Policy Institute is a multidisciplinary public policy research institute based in TCD. Further information can be found on their website —http://www.policyinstitute.tcd.ie.

One staff member completed the masters degree programme in public policy analysis over the two academic years 2003-2005. Two others have embarked upon the programme at the start of the current academic year. The programme is a two year full-time programme involving academic study and projects in public policy evaluation. The primary aim of the programme is to enhance the capabilities of personnel within the public sector to analyse policy and thus to contribute to decision-making on the allocation of public money. Successful completion of the programme will result in the award of an National University of Ireland — NUI — accredited M.Econ.Sc. in public policy analysis. An officer whose participation on the training programme is not satisfactory may at any time during the training period be returned to her or his former position or other suitable vacancy at that level and duties without delay and any entitlement to an allowance or subsequent appointment to assistant principal under the terms of the scheme will then cease.

Staff may also avail of a career break for educational purposes. Educational purposes may be deemed to encompass certain training courses which include a practical training element for which there is a nominal payment or grant made to the student. Career breaks are not available for educational purposes where the student or trainee is in an employment relationship with the training body and is in receipt of a normal salary or wage. There are no terms or conditions relating to academic achievement attaching to the granting of such leave. However, career breaks for educational purposes may not be granted for longer than the period of the particular course of study and/or training.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 758: To ask the Minister for Education and Science 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 her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [29377/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 759: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the proportion of her Department's training budget that is spent on refunds to staff in respect of night-time or weekend study courses; the list of all courses funded by her Department in the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29392/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 758 and 759 together.

Details of refund of fees in respect of night-time or weekend study courses attended by staff in my Department over the last three years, 2002-2004, are in the following tables. Some 80 members of staff applied for a refund of fees in respect of courses undertaken at night or evenings in 2005. The value of refunds expected to be made in 2005 is €169,392. Of those approved to attend a course in the last academic year, 11 staff members did not subsequently apply for a refund of fees.

The Department of Finance circular 21/78 governs refund of fees in respect of courses pursued in an officer's own time. Officers pursuing approved courses may have the appropriate course and examination fees refunded to them. The refund will be made at the end of each completed academic year or corresponding course period, that is, where it is established, normally by written statement from the institution providing the course, that the officer gave satisfactory attendance at the course — or participated satisfactorily in the course, if it is a correspondence course — during the academic year or period and underwent the relevant examinations or other prescribed tests. My Department has, to date, been in a position to recoup 100% of fees for approved courses.

My Department recognises the importance of training and developing its staff and seeks to promote a learning and development culture within the organisation. The Department has a pilot scheme in place for the advance payment of fees for post-graduate studies undertaken in the officer's own time and of particular relevance to the Department.

Each officer to whom a payment is made is required to undertake in writing to refund the payment in the event of leaving the public service before completing one year's service in respect of each academic year or course period for which a payment has been made, the academic years or course periods themselves not to reckon as service in this context.

List of courses funded.

2004

Course Name Qualification

Business Administration Masters Degree

Business Studies Degree

Business Studies Diploma

Business Studies in Trade Union Studies Certificate

Cognitive Neuropsychology Masters Degree

Computing (CISCO — CCNA) Certificate

Dana (Translation of English Documents) Diploma

Developmental Disability Masters Degree

Education Doctorate

Education Management Masters Degree

Educational (Disadvantage) Masters Degree

Educational Psychology Diploma

Educational Psychology Doctorate

Electro Chemistry Masters Degree

Employee Assistance Diploma

Employment Law Diploma

Governance Doctorate

History Doctorate

HR Management Diploma

Humanities Degree

Industrial Relations/Human Resources Degree

Information Technology Diploma

Interdisciplinary Studies Certificate

International Relations Masters Degree

Irish Diploma

IT in Education Masters Degree

Law Degree

Legal Studies Diploma

Management Diploma

Management & Law Degree

Non-Directive Play Therapy Masters Degree

Payroll Management Diploma

People Management Diploma

Phd Research Other

Philosophy Doctorate

Policy Analysis Diploma

Policy Analysis Masters Degree

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Masters Degree

Psychology Degree

Public Accountancy Certificate

Public Management Degree

School Psychology Doctorate

Sociology, History & Literature Degree

Supervisory Management Certificate

2003

Course Name Qualification

Autism Masters Degree

Business Administration Masters Degree

Business Studies Degree

Business Studies Diploma

Business Studies (HR Management) Diploma

Computer Applications & E-Commerce Certificate

Computer Applications Accs (HETAC) Certificate

Computer Science Degree

Computing (CISCO — CCNA) Diploma

Economics & Sociology Doctorate

Education Doctorate

Educational (Disadvantage) Masters Degree

Educational Management Masters Degree

Educational Psychology Doctorate

Employee Assistance Diploma

Executive Masters Degree

Executive (Business Administration) Masters Degree

Geographic Information Systems) Diploma

Higher Education (Autistic Spectrum Disorders) Certificate

Humanities Certificate

Industrial Relations/Human Resources Degree

Information Technology Diploma

Intercultural Studies Masters Degree

Interdisciplinary Studies Certificate

International Relations Masters Degree

IT in Education Masters Degree

IT Management Degree

Law Degree

Legal Studies Diploma

Management & Employee Relations Diploma

Management & Law Degree

Modern History Masters Degree

Non-Directive Play Therapy Masters Degree

Payroll Management Diploma

Philosophy Doctorate

Policy Analysis Diploma

Policy Analysis Masters Degree

Project Management Diploma

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Masters Degree

Psychology Degree

Public Management Degree

Public Management Diploma

Public Management Masters Degree

Public Service Management Diploma

School Psychology Doctorate

Social Science Data Analysis Summer Course

Sociology, History & Literature Degree

Supervisory Management (IMI) Degree

Systemic Organisation & Management Masters Degree

Training & Development Certificate

2002

Course Name Qualification

Autism (Pupils) Masters Degree

Barrister-at-Law Degree

Business Administration Masters Degree

Business Studies Certificate

Business Studies Degree

Business Studies Diploma

Certified Payroll Technician Certificate

Civil Service HR Management Practice Certificate

Communications & Cultural Science Masters Degree

Computer Applications & E-Commerce Certificate

Computer Applications Accs (HETAC) Certificate

Computer Science Degree

Economics & Sociology Doctorate

Education Doctorate

Educational Leadership Doctorate

Educational Management Masters Degree

Educational Psychology Doctorate

Equality/Diversity Studies Certificate

Executive Masters Degree

First Line Management/Supervision Diploma

Higher Education (Autistic Spectrum Disorders) Certificate

History Doctorate

History, Film Studies, Archaeology & Politics Degree

Human Resource Strategies Masters Degree

Information Systems Degree

Information Technology Diploma

Intercultural Studies Diploma

Irish Applied Diploma

Legal Studies Diploma

Management & Employee Relations Certificate

Management & Law Degree

Management and Employee Relations Diploma

Managing Change Certificate

Mathematics Doctorate

Non-Directive Play Therapy Masters Degree

Non-Formal Guidance Doctorate

Philosophy Doctorate

Professional Legal Studies Certificate

Project Management Diploma

Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Masters Degree

Psychology Degree

Public Administration Masters Degree

Public Management Certificate

Public Management Degree

Public Management Diploma

Public Management Masters Degree

Social Sciences (Introduction) Degree

Sociology, History & Literature Degree

Spanish Certificate

Supervisory Management Certificate

Systemic Management & Organisation Degree

Systemic Organisation & Management Masters Degree