Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 4

Written Answers. - Consultancy Contracts.

John McGuinness

Ceist:

520 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the number of outside companies or individuals employed by his Department now and in the past five years to investigate cases of alleged sexual harassment and bullying in the work place; the cost to his Department of these investigations; the number of such cases handled by a person (details supplied); the qualifications of this person or company; if work other than this type of investigation is undertaken by this person for his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22344/03]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen)

The Department of Public Enterprise engaged a firm of outside consultants to conduct an investigation into allegations of bullying and harassment in Met Éireann in May 2002. Responsibility for Met Éireann was transferred to this Department in June 2002 following the formation of the Government and the reallocation of functions between some Departments. My Department paid for this investigation.

Since then the same company has been requested to conduct three further investigations, one in Dublin, one in Kilkenny and one in Donegal. The cost of these investigations to date, including payment in respect of work commissioned by the Department of Public Enterprise, is €22,074.05.

The person named is a former rights commissioner. He has not conducted any investigations for my Department under the Civil Service code for dealing with allegations of bullying and harassment. On one occasion he was appointed, on the recommendation of the Labour Relations Commission, to hear an appeal against the form of disciplinary action taken following an investigation.