Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

95. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the courses that staff in her Department have had funded for them; the cost of each of those courses through the learning and development strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33245/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department is committed under its Learning and Development Strategy to provide opportunities for the education and development of its staff. The Department recognises that investment in learning leads to improved performance and productivity, increased employee engagement and better customer service. Business areas offer development opportunities to staff through internal training, courses delivered externally or the refund of fees scheme. In 2012 and to date in 2013, staff attended 114 different external course types at a cost of €394,681 in 2012 and €138,036 in 2013.

The Department also operates the Refund of Fees scheme to encourage staff to pursue higher educational achievement outside of normal business hours. The scheme operates within the parameters of Department of Finance Circular 23/07. In the 2011/2012 academic year, 87 staff participated in the scheme resulting in a cost of €181,890. In the 2012/2013 academic year, 97 staff are participating, resulting in a cost to date of €92,163. Expenditure since 2009 for external courses and courses funded under the Refund of Fees scheme are outlined in Table 1 below.

Table 1

With regard to the cost of each course undertaken, this information is not readily available. The Department will, however, provide this information to the Deputy once it is compiled. The full list of courses under both external training and the Refund of Fees scheme are listed in Tables 2 and 3 below.

Table 2: Externally delivered courses 2012/13

Table 3: Courses funded under Refund of Fees Scheme 2011/12/13