Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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395. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under her remit that operate in direct contact with members of the public have policies in place for members of the public to report instances of sexual harassment or assault that occur on the property of her Department or each public body and agency under her remit; if so, if these policies are publicly accessible on the relevant website; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31739/22]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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396. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under her remit have policies in place for employees to report instances of sexual harassment or assault that occur involving other employees or members of the public or on the property of her Department or public body and agency that operate under her remit; if so, if these policies are publicly accessible on the relevant website; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31758/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 395 and 396 together.

Allegations of sexual harassment or assault by a staff member of the Department against another staff member are dealt with in accordance with “Dignity at Work – an Anti-Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Harassment Policy for the Civil Service”which is publicly available at www.cseas.per.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Dignity-At-Work-Policy-PDF.pdf. Upon receipt of a bullying or harassment complaint (verbal or written), the Human Resources (HR) Manager will first consider if the complaint may constitute a criminal offence. If the HR Manager considers that there is a possibility that a criminal offence has occurred, the complaint will be referred to the Garda Síochána as soon as possible.

If an incident of sexual harassment or assault involving a member of the public were to take place in the Department's offices, it would be referred to An Garda Síochána. In addition, accidents and dangerous occurrences are required to be reported to the Health and Safety Authority in line with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Reporting of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 370 of 2016). State Authorities also have a statutory requirement to report any unplanned or uncontrolled occurrence or sequence of occurrences that caused or had the potential to cause injury, ill-health, disease, and/or damage/loss to property/service to the State Claims Agency. This includes incidents involving persons, property or the organisation as a whole.

The information in respect of State bodies is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out below, should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.

Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Education as at 29 March 2022