Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

450. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if personnel in his Department have been removed from their position, have been transferred to another role or had their employment terminated in the past four years due to breaches of departmental standards or professional misconduct or incompetence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27943/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department deals with disciplinary matters in accordance with the Civil Service Disciplinary Code.

When reaching a decision on what disciplinary action is appropriate, the nature and seriousness of the misconduct is considered, along with any mitigating circumstances.  Careful consideration is given to the appropriate sanction, in cases where misconduct has been proven.  The Code provides that one of the sanctions that may be imposed can be the reassignment to a different location or to different duties.

It is the case that personnel working in my Department have been transferred to a different location as part of a disciplinary process relating to breaches of departmental standards within the past four years. 

I can confirm that in the past four years, no staff member within my Department has had their employment terminated due to breaches of departmental standards or professional misconduct.  However, a number of individuals who had commenced employment with the Department have had their employment terminated whilst on probation.