I propose to take Questions Nos. 758 and 759 together.
Details of refund of fees in respect of night-time or weekend study courses attended by staff in my Department over the last three years, 2002-2004, are in the following tables. Some 80 members of staff applied for a refund of fees in respect of courses undertaken at night or evenings in 2005. The value of refunds expected to be made in 2005 is €169,392. Of those approved to attend a course in the last academic year, 11 staff members did not subsequently apply for a refund of fees.
The Department of Finance circular 21/78 governs refund of fees in respect of courses pursued in an officer's own time. Officers pursuing approved courses may have the appropriate course and examination fees refunded to them. The refund will be made at the end of each completed academic year or corresponding course period, that is, where it is established, normally by written statement from the institution providing the course, that the officer gave satisfactory attendance at the course — or participated satisfactorily in the course, if it is a correspondence course — during the academic year or period and underwent the relevant examinations or other prescribed tests. My Department has, to date, been in a position to recoup 100% of fees for approved courses.
My Department recognises the importance of training and developing its staff and seeks to promote a learning and development culture within the organisation. The Department has a pilot scheme in place for the advance payment of fees for post-graduate studies undertaken in the officer's own time and of particular relevance to the Department.
Each officer to whom a payment is made is required to undertake in writing to refund the payment in the event of leaving the public service before completing one year's service in respect of each academic year or course period for which a payment has been made, the academic years or course periods themselves not to reckon as service in this context.
Department of Education and Science Training Budget/Refund of Fees (ROF) Scheme
Year
|
Budget
|
Actual Spend
|
ROF Spend
|
% of ROF over Actual Spend
|
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
€
|
2004
|
946,000
|
679,177.74
|
129,098.92
|
(19%)
|
2003
|
880,000
|
595,747.92
|
182,305.43
|
(31%)
|
2002
|
976,000
|
686,102.84
|
123,568.80
|
(18%)
|
List of courses funded.
2004
Course Name Qualification
Business Administration Masters Degree
Business Studies Degree
Business Studies Diploma
Business Studies in Trade Union Studies Certificate
Cognitive Neuropsychology Masters Degree
Computing (CISCO — CCNA) Certificate
Dana (Translation of English Documents) Diploma
Developmental Disability Masters Degree
Education Doctorate
Education Management Masters Degree
Educational (Disadvantage) Masters Degree
Educational Psychology Diploma
Educational Psychology Doctorate
Electro Chemistry Masters Degree
Employee Assistance Diploma
Employment Law Diploma
Governance Doctorate
History Doctorate
HR Management Diploma
Humanities Degree
Industrial Relations/Human Resources Degree
Information Technology Diploma
Interdisciplinary Studies Certificate
International Relations Masters Degree
Irish Diploma
IT in Education Masters Degree
Law Degree
Legal Studies Diploma
Management Diploma
Management & Law Degree
Non-Directive Play Therapy Masters Degree
Payroll Management Diploma
People Management Diploma
Phd Research Other
Philosophy Doctorate
Policy Analysis Diploma
Policy Analysis Masters Degree
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Masters Degree
Psychology Degree
Public Accountancy Certificate
Public Management Degree
School Psychology Doctorate
Sociology, History & Literature Degree
Supervisory Management Certificate
2003
Course Name Qualification
Autism Masters Degree
Business Administration Masters Degree
Business Studies Degree
Business Studies Diploma
Business Studies (HR Management) Diploma
Computer Applications & E-Commerce Certificate
Computer Applications Accs (HETAC) Certificate
Computer Science Degree
Computing (CISCO — CCNA) Diploma
Economics & Sociology Doctorate
Education Doctorate
Educational (Disadvantage) Masters Degree
Educational Management Masters Degree
Educational Psychology Doctorate
Employee Assistance Diploma
Executive Masters Degree
Executive (Business Administration) Masters Degree
Geographic Information Systems) Diploma
Higher Education (Autistic Spectrum Disorders) Certificate
Humanities Certificate
Industrial Relations/Human Resources Degree
Information Technology Diploma
Intercultural Studies Masters Degree
Interdisciplinary Studies Certificate
International Relations Masters Degree
IT in Education Masters Degree
IT Management Degree
Law Degree
Legal Studies Diploma
Management & Employee Relations Diploma
Management & Law Degree
Modern History Masters Degree
Non-Directive Play Therapy Masters Degree
Payroll Management Diploma
Philosophy Doctorate
Policy Analysis Diploma
Policy Analysis Masters Degree
Project Management Diploma
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Masters Degree
Psychology Degree
Public Management Degree
Public Management Diploma
Public Management Masters Degree
Public Service Management Diploma
School Psychology Doctorate
Social Science Data Analysis Summer Course
Sociology, History & Literature Degree
Supervisory Management (IMI) Degree
Systemic Organisation & Management Masters Degree
Training & Development Certificate
2002
Course Name Qualification
Autism (Pupils) Masters Degree
Barrister-at-Law Degree
Business Administration Masters Degree
Business Studies Certificate
Business Studies Degree
Business Studies Diploma
Certified Payroll Technician Certificate
Civil Service HR Management Practice Certificate
Communications & Cultural Science Masters Degree
Computer Applications & E-Commerce Certificate
Computer Applications Accs (HETAC) Certificate
Computer Science Degree
Economics & Sociology Doctorate
Education Doctorate
Educational Leadership Doctorate
Educational Management Masters Degree
Educational Psychology Doctorate
Equality/Diversity Studies Certificate
Executive Masters Degree
First Line Management/Supervision Diploma
Higher Education (Autistic Spectrum Disorders) Certificate
History Doctorate
History, Film Studies, Archaeology & Politics Degree
Human Resource Strategies Masters Degree
Information Systems Degree
Information Technology Diploma
Intercultural Studies Diploma
Irish Applied Diploma
Legal Studies Diploma
Management & Employee Relations Certificate
Management & Law Degree
Management and Employee Relations Diploma
Managing Change Certificate
Mathematics Doctorate
Non-Directive Play Therapy Masters Degree
Non-Formal Guidance Doctorate
Philosophy Doctorate
Professional Legal Studies Certificate
Project Management Diploma
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Masters Degree
Psychology Degree
Public Administration Masters Degree
Public Management Certificate
Public Management Degree
Public Management Diploma
Public Management Masters Degree
Social Sciences (Introduction) Degree
Sociology, History & Literature Degree
Spanish Certificate
Supervisory Management Certificate
Systemic Management & Organisation Degree
Systemic Organisation & Management Masters Degree