Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 697: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the policy to deal with bullying in his Department; if same has been circulated to all employees; if there are outstanding law cases regarding the issue by employees; if cases were dealt with or settled since 1 January 2000, and if so, the number of same; if his Department has legislation dealing with the issue of bullying or plans to introduce such legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1905/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs attaches the highest priority to supporting, promoting and fully implementing the Civil Service policy on harassment, sexual harassment and bullying introduced by the Department of Finance in 2000. A revised version of the policy, entitled A Positive Working Environment, came into effect in September 2005 and was, as with the earlier version, brought to the attention of all staff by way of an internal office notice. The focus of the revised policy is on resolving disputes through mediation. It also introduced the concept of specially trained contact persons, who are available to provide information and support to staff members in the areas covered by the policy.

Since the original introduction of the policy in 2000, the Department has held a series of talks and workshops at headquarters and also in missions abroad on the subject of bullying and harassment, in order to raise the level of awareness of the issues among staff at all levels. To date, over 500 staff across all grades have availed of this training. More recently, the Department has provided intensive training in workplace and organisational mediation to selected staff members. Training in mediation and conflict resolution, tailored to reflect the focus of the revised policy, is also now being made available to line managers.

Since January 2000, a total of four formal complaints involving allegations of bullying and harassment and one involving alleged sexual harassment have been made by staff members of the Department. Of these, three cases have been dealt with and two remain outstanding, one before the High Court and one before the Equality Tribunal.

The question of introducing legislation in this area would be a matter for the Minister for Finance.