Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North-Central, Fianna Fail)
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128. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of violent incidents and threats reported by social protection staff in 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21419/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has a staffing complement of approximately 7,300 both permanent and temporary staff who deliver services through a nationwide network of offices, with a very high level of public engagement, both through front office services (via Intreo offices, Public offices and Branch offices) and by phone through a number of contact centres.

The table below shows the number of incidents reported by staff for the years requested:

There was an increase in the number of incidents reported in 2023/24 in comparison with 2022, attributable in part to increased reporting, with the introduction of the department’s internal Health and Safety Incident Reporting app which allows staff to more easily record and report relevant incidents.

My department takes its duty of care to staff very seriously, actively encouraging the reporting of any incidents and with a range of robust procedures in place to respond to threats to staff, including the support of line managers, Regional Safety Advisors and engagement with the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service.

In addition, our Customer Charter (2023-2026) clearly sets out our commitments to our customers and how we ask them to deal with our staff during their interactions with the department and staff working in our public offices undertake Frontline Customer Services training which includes de-escalation and diffusing techniques and procedures where required for positive customer engagement.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.