Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of employees within his Department, male and female, who have been approved for participation in the Civil Service flexible working scheme; the number of employees, male and female, who have been refused leave to participate in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36885/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A total of 151 officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs are currently availing of the civil service work-sharing scheme, of whom 8 are male and 143 are female officers.

My Department makes every effort to accommodate applications for work-sharing and other work/life balance schemes, including the shorter working year and the flexible working hours schemes. On occasion, however, notably in the Passport Office, organisational needs have had to take precedence and in a small number of cases it has not been possible to approve work-sharing applications. When this does arise we endeavour to facilitate staff re-assignments so as to permit more flexible attendance patterns.