Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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133. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase training provision for deciding officers working in her Department. [34344/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Deciding officer training is delivered throughout all business areas that process social welfare claims in Headquarter Buildings and the network of Intreo/local office centres. The training comprises a blend of formal classroom based training and on-the-job mentoring and is provided by full and part-time trainers in business divisions and Intreo offices. These trainers are supported from the Department’s central training area, Staff Development Unit.

As part of the rollout of the Intreo service to the Department’s office network, a training needs analysis is carried out for each office and, where needs are identified, deciding officer training is provided to all relevant staff. In addition, all deciding officer training requirements identified as part of the Performance Management Development System (PMDS) process are notified to the relevant training area to plan and deliver such training.

During 2014, the Department has undertaken a major project to review and redesign training in the functions performed by frontline roles in the Department, including deciding officers. The newly developed deciding officer training modules will be rolled out in 2015. The ultimate objective of this project is to develop a formal programme to provide staff with a suite of consistent, professional standard, accredited training which will equip them with the knowledge and technical skills to perform their roles to a high standard.

Formal classroom-based deciding officer training was delivered to 232 officers in 2013 and, to date in 2014, 240 officers have received such training.