Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 3

Written Answers. - Departmental Correspondence.

Micheál Martin

Question:

162 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education when an item of correspondence which was the subject of a report in the Irish Independent of 20 November 1996 and which was sent to her Department by a public service union, was actually received in her Department; the sections of her Department to which the letter was referred; the date on which a reply issued; the arrangements which the Secretary of her Department has in place for the tracking of correspondence addressed to him; the investigations, if any, she has initiated into the reported failure through inadvertence in respect of such correspondence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23128/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

The item of correspondence in question was addressed to an officer in the personnel section of my Department by the Public Service Executive Union, PSEU, and was received on or about 15 March 1996. The letter was in relation to the Programme for Competitiveness and Work negotiations with the teacher unions and presented concerns in anticipation of ratification of the proposals which had been put to ballot at that time. As the Deputy will be aware, the proposals were not ratified.

A formal written response did not issue to the letter. However, as is normal in an industrial relations context, the concerns of the members of the union, other staff unions and of management are discussed and addressed through an ongoing process of contacts and meetings, both formal and informal. This process is continuing in relation to the staffing position generally in my Department and includes the potential workload which might arise in the event of ratification of an agreement with the teacher unions under theProgramme for Competitiveness and Work. A tracking system exists for correspondence addressed to the secretary of my Department.