Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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147. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation 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 her Department that 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 her Department for persons that participated in these courses; the providers of all such courses; the subject areas of all courses and programmes provided in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46053/17]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation supports continuous professional development by placing a high priority on the development of staff to enable a high performing and agile workforce. 

The attendance by staff on learning andthird level courses to help enable the Department in building the appropriate skill and expert development courses/programmes is informed by an annual Learning and Development Plan. This plan sets out the key learning and development priorities for the year and is based on the individual, team and business needs of the Department.  In addition, the Advanced Payment of Fees (APF) Scheme is supported which enables staff to participate in further relevant third level academic qualifications. In this regard the Management Board annually targets specific levels required, while supporting officers in the area of self-development and life-long learning. 

The specific information the Deputy has sought requires the presentation of data that is not immediately available in the format requested, and will require some time to collate. In this regard, I will furnish the Deputy with the specific details of the costs and the providers of courses and programmes delivered since 2011 within 10 working days.