Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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717. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the protocols in place, since March 2011, to set standards in replies to parliamentary questions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23498/15]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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718. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that parliamentary questions are adequately replied to within her Department; the steps she has taken, since March 2011, to ensure parliamentary questions are fully responded to within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23514/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 717 and 718 together.

The preparation of replies for Parliamentary Questions is a high-priority task in my Department. In providing replies, officials seek to ensure that responses are timely and comprehensive and, in general, I am satisfied that adequate responses are provided to Deputies. In order to ensure comprehensive replies it is of course important that there is clarity on the information being sought by the Deputy.

There are standard protocols in place in dealing with Parliamentary Questions which include ensuring that they are cleared at senior management level. In late 2014 an office notice on processing parliamentary questions issued to officials. The office notice outlines the timescales and procedures for processing written and oral Parliamentary Questions.

For the Deputy's information 3786 Parliamentary Questions were answered in 2014. This figure includes 286 Parliamentary Questions that were transferred into the Department from other Departments, but does not include 132 Parliamentary Questions that were transferred from the Department to other Departments.