Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 495: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of civil servants in his Department who have attended courses on stress management in the workplace between 2005 and 2007; if stress reduction procedures have been put in place arising from attendance at such courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10603/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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There are many sources of stress, both professional and personal, that impact on the individual in the modern workplace. Work-related stress is an issue that my Department is taking very seriously. In the period 2005 -2007, the Department ran a number of one-day courses and seminars on stress management, attended by almost 230 staff. My Department has also put in place protocols aimed at identifying, at an early stage, those staff who are suffering from work-related stress, and at activating appropriate interventions to support these staff. Line managers, Human Resources Division, the Employee Assistance Service, and colleagues, all have a role to play in addressing issues when they arise. In addition, specific programmes are in place to support and counsel staff working in areas where difficult or stressful situations are encountered in the course of their duties.