Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 31 Oct 1991

Vol. 411 No. 8

Written Answers. - Career Break and Job Sharing Schemes.

Roger T. Garland

Question:

39 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Defence if he will outline, within the area of responsibility of his Department and covering each year from the commencement of the job-sharing and career break scheme (a) the total number of applications received and (b) the total granted and not granted; if he will give a breakdown of the grades involved under each heading and the reasons some applications were turned down; if his Department have plans to extend the job sharing scheme from working halved hours to a system which facilitates the workers requirements; and if not, the reason therefor.

Minister for Defence (Mr. Daly)

The conditions governing the career break and job-sharing schemes in the Civil Service are a matter for the Minister for Finance and any alteration to those conditions would also be a matter for him.

Since the introduction of these schemes in 1984 a total of 112 career break and 41 job-sharing applications from civil servants in the Department have been granted. Details by grade are contained in a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report. In addition 26 civilian employees and 13 members of the Army Nursing Service were granted career breaks.

The exact number of applications which were refused is not readily available. However the number of such refusals was small and these were mainly in respect of applications which did not come within the scope of the schemes. In relation to the career break scheme a small number of applications were refused due to the need to retain specialist staff in key areas of the Department. Job-sharing applications are generally approved.

Following is the statement:

Career break applications approved

	H.E.O.	E.O.	S.O.	C.O.	C.A.	Cleaner	Civilian Employees	Army Nursing Service	Totals
1984			2	3	5		—	—	10
1985	1	2	2	4	9		—	6	24
1986		4	1	8	14	1	7	4	39
1987	1	2		7	10		5	1	26
1988				6	8		3	—	17
1989		1		4	6		4	—	15
1990		2	1	2			5	1	11
1991		1	1	2	2		2	1	9
Totals	2	12	7	36	54	1	26	13	151

Job sharing applications approved

	H.E.O.	E.O.	S.O.	C.O.	C.A.	Cleaner	Totals
1984				1	4		5
1985				2			2
1986				4	4		8
1987				4	3		7
1988				3	1		6
			2
1989			2		1		3
1990				1	3		4
1991				2	3		5
Totals			4	17	19		40