Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

213. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) who has mobility difficulties and who has requested, on a medical consultant's advice, to be assigned to an office which that person can reasonably access, rather than the currently assigned office, due to the fact that the currently assigned office is having an adverse effect on that person's overall health; the reason this person's repeated requests for a transfer to an accessible office have been ignored for over a year; if she will ensure that this request is now accommodated in order to avoid a staff member having to give up employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8170/15]

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

As the Deputy will appreciate, as Minister I have no role or function in relation to the assignment of staff of the Department to particular offices or functions.

For operational reasons in the context of the development of the Intreo services for clients from a number of areas the south of Dublin, the Department, decided to close its offices in Tara Street and Thomas Street and relocate the work and associated staff to new premises based in Cork Street.

The officer in question notified their manager and HR Division that they felt they would not be in a position to relocate to the new premises due to mobility issues. The officer identified a number of alternative offices to which they wished to be assigned and their name was added to the transfer lists of all the locations specified.

HR Division also referred the officer’s case to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) asking for opinion on the person’s fitness for duty and the appropriate action concerning the officer’s request to be accommodated in a central location.

The CMO’s advice was that the officer was fit for duty but that the question of relocation to a central location was something that should be considered separately and as such was a matter for management.

In the circumstances and taking the advice into consideration the officer was advised that they could only be considered for an alternative assignment when their place on a transfer list has been reached.

It is open to the officer to submit any new medical evidence regarding their circumstances that can be referred to the CMO for further consideration.