Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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453. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the protocol for attendance by staff, both civil servants and political non-civil servants, to continuing professional development programmes and courses; the number of staff, both civil servants and political non-civil servants, in his Department who participated in such programmes on an annual basis in each of the years 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017; the costs incurred by his Department for persons who participated in these courses; the providers of all such courses; the subject areas of all courses and programmes provided, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46061/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department supports the continuous development of its officers through the implementation of a broad range of professional development programmes, focusing on leadership, management, compliance and evaluation with a view to strengthening the management and diplomatic capabilities of its staff. In addition to intensive language training, my Department provides its officers with a comprehensive pre-posting training programme in advance of taking up their duties in missions overseas. My Department participates in the European Diplomatic Programme (EDP) where officers benefit from exchanges with colleagues from other EU Member States. Officers also regularly attend courses delivered by the European External Action Service (EEAS). Since 2016, all newly recruited Third Secretaries and Administrative Officers participate in the Civil Service-wide Graduate Development Programme. Management development programmes are also delivered to support officers in supervisory roles at Executive Officer and Higher Executive Officer level. Officers from across my Department also benefit from support for third-level education under the Refund of Fees Scheme. Training and development programmes are advertised widely across the Department reflecting the commitment to lifelong learning and personal development contained in the Civil Service Renewal Plan. Language training accounts for approximately one third of my Department's training and development expenditure. In 2016, the Department’s training and development total expenditure was €643,623 of which €212,901 was spent on language training. The overall expenditure on Training and Development under Vote 28 for 2011-2017 is contained in the following table:

Due to the volume of information requested by the Deputy I will forward the details of programmes and courses (excluding language training) undertaken by officers in my Department from 2011- 2017 within the next ten working days.