Department of Social Protection sacked or transferred 20 staff for breaching standards
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys, whose department implements the Civil Service Disciplinary Code (2016), said 25 staff have been dismissed from the department since 2011.
Twenty staff members of the Department of Social Protection have either been dismissed, transferred or left their position over breaches of standards since 2017.
The breaches which led to the dismissals have included breaching the code of standards and behaviour and breaching the data protection policy of the department. One dismissal related to the breach of standards required of staff members who are also customers of the Department of Social Protection policy.
In response to a parliamentary question, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said that her department implements the Civil Service Disciplinary Code (2016), which sets out fair process and guidance on appropriate disciplinary actions or sanctions.
Under this code, a serious breach of the accepted standards and behaviour can be an example of serious misconduct which can be enough to warrant dismissal. So far this year, one officer was deemed to have resigned or did not return to their role over a breach of the code of standards of behaviour.
Last year, one staff member was dismissed under the same code. In 2019, three members were dismissed for breaches of the code of standards and behaviour, while two more were transferred.
Separately in 2019, one worker was dismissed over the policy governing standards required of staff members who are also customers of the department.
The Department of Social Protection classifies customers as encompassing a wide-ranging group including “families, jobseekers, people in employment, people with illnesses and disabilities, carers, older people and employers.” Breaches of the data protection policy have resulted in three dismissals since 2017, and a total of six since 2011.
Ms Humphreys said that: “Since 2011, 25 staff have been dismissed from the Department of Social Protection.
“A further four persons have been transferred as part of their sanction. Two people have been deemed resigned / did not return to their role and left the civil service.”
Parliamentary questions on the same subject were submitted to various departments by independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan.
For the Department of Transport, Minister Eamon Ryan said: “Since 2011, two Department staff were reverted to a former grade and one staff member was dismissed when they did not achieve the appropriate performance standards during probation.
“In addition, one staff member resigned following the initiation of disciplinary proceedings and before those proceedings were concluded.” Misconduct was also cited in the termination of employment for one staff member at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, three dismissals arose from disciplinary procedures at the Department of Agriculture and 15 individuals had their employment terminated for non-performance issues according to the Department of Justice.
All of these figures go back as far as 2011. In the case of the Department of Justice, five persons had their employment terminated in 2020, alone, Minister Helen McEntee said.
In the case of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the written response from Minister Simon Coveney stated there had been a “number” of DFA staff dismissed since 2011.
In his written reply, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said there were limited, “if any cases”, of a formal disciplinary process resulting in the sanction specified in the question, ie dismissal.
Other departments reported no dismissals for the period in question.
