Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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233. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of complaints of bullying and sexual harassment, respectively received by his Department in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, in tabular form. [48029/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The Civil Service is committed to protecting dignity and respect across the organisation and my Department implements the Civil Service wide anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy ‘Dignity at Work’. I am satisfied that the policy is being implemented effectively throughout my Department.

All staff in my Department are reminded annually of their responsibilities under the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour, which includes the duty to show due respect for their colleagues at work and to abide by the Civil Service anti-bullying policy. Furthermore, all new recruits to my Department are required to familiarise themselves with both the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour and the Dignity at Work policy.

From time to time, staff have raised a variety of issues regarding workplace difficulties including bullying & harassment. Issues raised are carefully considered under relevant Civil Service and Departmental policies, including in particular the Dignity at Work policy.

The following table lists the number of complaints of bullying and sexual harassment received by my Department from 2016 to present: