Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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176. To ask the Taoiseach the number of secondments from his Department to external private firms in 2010 to 2014, inclusive, and to date in 2015; the firms involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2582/15]

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Taoiseach the number of secondments based in his Department from external private firms in 2010 to 2014, inclusive, and to date in 2015; the firms involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2583/15]

Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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178. To ask the Taoiseach if his Department has a policy regarding secondments from and within his Department to external firms; when the policy was initiated and last updated; the details of the policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2584/15]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 to 178, inclusive, together.

My Department participates in the Staff Exchange Scheme between the Civil Service and the Private Sector. This Scheme, managed by the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform, is designed to enhance communication, co-operation and understanding between the Civil Service and the Private Sector and to provide staff development opportunities for participants through new work experiences and project based assignments. It is also intended to enhance mutual understanding of the drivers of policy and to better inform the policy formulation process of the Civil Service.

The scheme is aimed at civil service staff in management roles (Higher Executive Officer, Administrative Officer, Assistant Principal Officer, Principal Officer and equivalents) and at executives in management positions in the private sector. The terms and conditions for such exchanges are set out in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 3/2013.

In November 2013, under this scheme, as part of a reciprocal arrangement, a member of staff at my Department took up a secondment in IBEC and a member of staff from IBEC took up a secondment in my Department. This secondment concluded in September 2014. My Department remains open to further such mutually beneficial arrangements under the Scheme. In addition, a member of staff was seconded to my Department from Zurich Insurance for the period of the Irish Presidency of the European Union in 2012.