Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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72. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of employees of his Department that were dismissed in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date 2019; the reason for the dismissal of each employee; the number of employees suspended in the same period; and the reason for the suspension of each in tabular form. [48073/19]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department has dismissed six employees since 2016. Four employees were not established at the end of their probationary contract. Two employees were dismissed following a disciplinary process. It would not be appropriate for my Department to provide additional details as so doing could potentially identify the individuals in question.

My Department did not suspend any employees in 2016, 2017, 2018 or to date in 2019.

My Department applies the provisions of Department of Public Expenditure and Reform circulars in relation to disciplinary and probationary matters, including that all civil servants must be treated in a fair and equitable manner in accordance with the principles of natural justice.