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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 Feb 1986

Vol. 363 No. 12

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Course Fees.

31.

asked the Minister for the Public Service whether fees are refunded to civil servants pursuing educational courses of relevance to their work; whether there are any cases where such fees have not been or are not being so refunded; if so, the reasons for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter in view of the contents of Chapter 4 in the Government White Paper, Serving the Country Better.

Fees are refunded for certain educational courses under arrangements agreed with staff. The operation of these arrangements has been delegated to Departments and it is a matter for each Department to decide on individual cases where claims for refunds are made. Departments in considering applications take into account the relevance of courses to work needs and the financial implications.

Cases arise, on occasion, where a refund is not allowed — for instance where a Department consider that a course is not sufficiently relevant. It occasionally happens that a request has to be refused because of scarcity of funds in a particular year. The majority of requests for refunds are, however, given a positive response.

Chapter 4 of the White Paper deals with encouraging initiative and I strongly support the acquisition by public servants of relevant educational qualifications. The agreed arrangements for recoupment of fees help greatly to encourage officers to study relevant courses in their own time.

It is my understanding that there are difficulties in a number of Departments in the matter of having fees refunded. I accept the Minister's support for the scheme, but perhaps he would send a memo to some of the Departments reminding them that it is with much difficulty that many civil servants avail of part time education. Since most of the courses they attend are in the area of public administration their study is of benefit to the State, so the least that could be done is that the fees be refunded fairly promptly. I accept that the Department of the Public Service are not the ones at fault but there are a number of Departments involved. These have delayed payments on the basis of a lack of funds. Surely in the case of a Department with a budget of hundreds of millions of pounds, a fee of £1,000 would not break them. The Minister's officials will know exactly the Departments I am referring to.

I shall be very pleased to take up the matter. I thank the Deputy for his suggestion and for his support in this regard.

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