Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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281. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of officials in his Department that are receiving the cost of club membership fees, including sports clubs and professional bodies, as part of their contract of employment; the total cost per year to his Department of paying these fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51369/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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My Department will only cover the cost of membership of professional bodies' fees on behalf of staff where that membership has a direct relevance to the individual's role, or can be considered to have a benefit to the work of the Department. The cost of these payments for 2013, to date, is approximately €8,400.00. My Department does not cover the cost of any other form of club membership fees on behalf of staff.

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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282. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department is paying for any of its employees to receive third-level qualifications; if so, the annual cost for each of the past five years; if the employee will receive a financial bonus as a result of receiving this qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51383/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to supporting a continuous learning and development environment in which staff are presented with opportunities to improve their skills and qualifications so as to better equip them to make a positive and dynamic contribution to the business needs of the Department. Financial assistance is offered to staff pursuing a variety of courses in accordance with the provisions of Department of Finance circular 23/07: Post-Entry Education. Applications are considered with reference to the following criteria: relevance and significance of the course to the applicant's role and to the work of the Department; the number of applications received; the overall cost; and previous investment, by the Department, in the applicant’s education and development. My Department does not sanction any additional payments to staff who gain a third-level qualification under the scheme. The annual investment in staff under the scheme for each of the past 5 years is set out in the table.

My Department will, as far as possible, continue to provide support for the continuous professional development of staff. However the Deputy will appreciate that reductions in public expenditure, necessary to restore our country's fiscal position, have impacted on the level of support that my Department can provide to individuals pursuing a third-level (or higher) qualification.