Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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489. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of Departmental staff currently on sick or stress leave; and the number who took stress or sick leave in each of the past five years, and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [17776/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to providing efficient and well-managed services and achieves this by striking a satisfactory balance between the delivery of the business needs and high quality service to the public and the need to allow civil servants to address their health and safety needs during periods of illness.  The Department manages absences on health grounds in line with relevant legislation and civil service circulars, policies and guidelines.  All civil servants have a responsibility to the organisation of which they are part of, to their colleagues and to themselves to attend work and provide effective service.

While an employee can inform their employer of the nature of their health conditions insofar as it can affect their ability to carry out their work in a safe manner, they do have the right not to disclose the nature of their illness and as such I cannot report accurately on the number of staff on sick leave due to stress or other specified illnesses.

Our systems bulk reports sick leave by the number of instances and days rather than the number of staff on sick leave, as staff can have multiple absences over the course of a given year.

The table below provides data on the number of staff in the Department, the total number of instances and days of sick leave, and the average respectively per person for the years in question.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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490. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of allegations of bullying made by departmental staff against departmental staff in each of the past five years, and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if he will detail what actions are being taken by his Department to investigate the allegations, or if they are being investigated. [17794/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to upholding the key aims of the Dignity at Work Policy, the Anti-Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Harassment policy for the Irish Civil Service.  My Department is also committed to providing a work environment free from any form of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment. Such behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.  Any complaints or issues raised in this area are treated seriously, fairly and in strict confidence.  Informal resolution and the use of mediation are strongly encouraged and explored before proceeding to formal investigation, and in many instances have proved successful in resolving matters.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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491. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of Departmental staff dismissed in each of the past ten years, and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [17812/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department operates within the Civil Service policy framework for Human Resources, and in this regard it carries out its functions in accordance with the circulars and policies set down by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Any issues raised in the course of a process related to a disciplinary matter or misconduct is treated seriously, fairly and in strict confidence. Where such circumstances arise, all civil servants of the Department are treated in a fair and equitable manner in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

The table below provides the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of staff that have been dismissed from their post under the relevant policies.