Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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112. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of employees in his Department; the number professionally qualified with organisations (details supplied); the number with other relevant professional qualifications; and the number with no professional qualifications, in tabular form. [1888/19]

Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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113. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of employees in his Department authorised to engage in procurement; the number professionally qualified with organisations (details supplied); the number with other relevant professional qualifications; and the number with no professional qualifications, in tabular form. [1905/19]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.

As the Deputy is aware, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) was established in 2013 with the goal of reducing costs and maximising value for money and operational efficiency through instituting central management of the public procurement function. Staff members of the Department of Finance work closely with the OGP staff on procurement matters. Further details regarding the function of the OGP can be found at www.ogp.gov.ie

I wish to advise the Deputy that staff from across all areas of the Department may have an element of procurement in their work. I can advise the Deputy that my Department undertakes public procurements in line with the guidelines issued by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) and with EU public procurement requirements.

During 2018, 46 staff of the Department attended public procurement training, the purpose of which was to increase the overall level of knowledge of public procurement throughout the Department and ensure that staff were aware of associated compliance requirements. The Department proposed to run further procurement training for staff during Q1 of 2019.

The Deputy may also wish to note that the Department’s Procurement Officer and staff in the procurement unit have undertaken accredited training in public procurement and continue to keep up to date with procurement guidelines and regulations.

The following table provides details where the staff in the Department of Finance achieved their procurement qualifications:

I wish to advise the Deputy that 27 staff hold professional qualifications that allow those staff members to use a professional title. 6 of those staff members hold professional qualifications from the organisations supplied and a further 21 hold other relevant professional qualifications.

The following table provides details on the staff who hold professional qualifications:

Staff are not obliged to inform the Department that they hold a professional title or are a member of a professional organisation unless membership is a requirement for their post. This list is compiled from staff who have voluntarily informed the Department that they hold relevant professional qualifications.

The following table is a list of the “other relevant professional qualifications” held by staff in the Department of Finance and their corresponding titles:

The purpose of the Department’s Learning and Development Strategy 2010-2021 is to deliver the capabilities, competencies and skills required to support and sustain a high performing Department. The Department values and invests in the staff and the aim of the Department is to enable staff to perform to their highest level and fulfill their potential –“To be the best that we can be”. This strategy aims to invest in the staff of the Department for the continued improvement across all areas of the Department.