Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 810: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the rates of overtime or additional allowances payable to staff who work in his Department's 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. [29304/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 811: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amounts of [i]ex gratia[/i] payments made to staff in his Department's 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. [29319/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 810 and 811 together.

On-call allowances are not paid to staff in my Department's press office. Payments for additional attendance to staff in my Department's press office are in accordance with the Department of Finance circular 27/99 dealing with extra attendance, which is available on www.codpearsanra.gov.ie.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 812: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 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. [29334/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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My Department operates in accordance with the conditions governing extra attendance as set out in Department of Finance circular 27/99 for overtime grades. This circular provides for the payment of overtime or time off in lieu for authorised extra attendance. Since January 2005, 260 days have been taken by such staff as time in lieu.

A time and attendance scheme operates for administrative staff up to and including assistant principal officer in the Department's main offices and is monitored centrally. In September, 67% of staff on this system carried forward in excess of 3.5 hours which can be taken as leave in the next four week period.

A considerable number of the Department's serving staff operate from local offices and when required to work outside normal hours avail of time off in lieu. The arrangements are managed locally and centralised data are not maintained in relation to them.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 813: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 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. [29349/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Staff personal files are treated as confidential by my Department and are referred outside the Department only for the purpose of providing information to the chief medical officer, as appropriate. My Department is examining ways to improve record management and, in that context, is giving preliminary consideration to the scanning of files in its corporate services division. To scope this work, a small sample of data were recently given to a company for test scanning. Prior safeguards were sought and obtained from the company that the confidentiality of this data would be rigorously protected.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 814: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 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. [29364/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Six officers have been selected to participate in a two year masters programme for public policy analysis since 2002. Two have successfully completed the course and four are currently participating in the scheme. For the duration of the course participants are appointed as assistant principal officers on an acting basis and on successful completion of the course, they are appointed in a substantive capacity in that grade. Applicants are nominated by the Department and interviewed by the Public Appointments Service, PAS.

Staff can avail of the career break scheme for educational purposes and eight staff are currently on career break for this purpose. It is not a requirement of the scheme to provide details of the courses to be pursued and in the circumstances such details are not available.

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 815: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 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. [29379/05]

Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 816: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the proportion of his 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 his Department in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29394/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 815 and 816 together.

My Department's training and development strategy 2004-09 aims to support the process of ongoing learning for staff. In support of this, my Department operates a scheme whereby staff can have their fees paid in full or in part at the beginning of the academic year for their attendance at courses that are relevant and beneficial to both staff and the work of the Department.

In 2005 my Department will spend approximately 17% of its training budget on payments-refunds to staff in respect of night-time or weekend study courses. Details of applications and projected payments for 2005 are set out in the following table.

Of the staff who received approval to attend courses in the academic year 2004-05, six did not apply for a refund. A list of courses funded in this way by my Department since 2003 is as follows: accounting technician; advanced Internet techniques; advanced ECDL; AITI, professional tax exams; Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor of Business Studies; Bachelor of Technology — computing; behaviour — assertiveness personal development; BSc in Engineering; BSc in Environmental Studies; BSc in Computing Science; BSc in Rural Development; BSc in Natural Sciences; Business Management; Certificate in Biodiversity Components in Forestry; Certificate in Business Law; Certificate in Civil Service and State Agency Studies; Certificate in Communication Skills; Certificate in Counselling Skills; Certificate in Field Ecology; Certificate in Health and Safety; Certificate in Management Development; Certificate in Managing Change; Certificate in Professional Competence in Road Haulage; Certificate in Psychology; certified Cisco systems; Chartered Institute of Management Accountants — CIMA exams; Cleachtas sa Dátheangachas; Coastal Zone Management; Community Arts for Community Development; Computer Applications; Cúrsa Diplóma sa Ghaeilge; Digital Photography; Diploma in Environmental Impact Assessment; Diploma in Accounting and Finance; Diploma in Arbitration; Diploma in Business Studies; Diploma in Field Ecology; Diploma in Geographical Information Systems; Diploma in Human Resources; Diploma in Legal Studies; Diploma in Management and Employee Relations; Diploma in Psychology; ECDL; Foundations in Law; Franchise; General Science; Higher Diploma in Computers; Higher Diploma in Human Resource Management; Higher Diploma in Policy Analysis; Higher Diploma in Public Management; Higher Diploma in Town and Country Planning; Human Resource Management and Employment Law; Information Technology; Introduction to Social Sciences; Irish; Irish Taxation Institute Associate exams; JEB Teacher Diploma in IT skills; Foreign Language Training; Legal Studies; LLB; MA in Archaeology and Heritage Management; MA in Business Studies; MA in Environmental Protection; MA in Human Resource Management; MA in International Relations; MA in Public Management; MA in Strategic Management and Planning; MBA; Microsoft Office User Specialist Master: MSc in Applied Computing for Technologists; MSc in Applied Ecology; MSc in Environmental Protection X 2; MSc in Science; MSc in Spatial Planning; MSc in Urban Design; PhD in Archaeology; PhD in Biological Sciences; PhD in Life and Health Sciences; Social Policy; Soft Skills Training; the Environmental Web; Theories of Race and Ethnicity: an Introduction; Town and Country Planning; and Web Design.