The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed that there is currently one member of staff within his department who is currently “suspended on full pay in relation to disciplinary procedures”.
In response to a query raised by the Independent TD for Laois-Offaly, Carol Nolan, Minister Charlie McConalogue, confirmed that one member of staff within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is currently suspended in accordance with the Civil Service Disciplinary Code.
Minister McConalogue told Deputy Nolan that DAFM “manages all disciplinary matters in accordance with the provisions of the relevant disciplinary code applicable to the civil servant concerned”.
The minister did not disclose any details of the reason behind why the civil servant in question was suspended.
He also did not confirm the civil servant’s role within his department.
However Minister McConalogue told Deputy Nolan that a “disciplinary procedure is initiated where a concern arises regarding the conduct, performance, and/or attendance of a civil servant”.
“A disciplinary procedure provides a fair and efficient process for dealing with such concerns and all civil servants are obliged to participate in such procedures,” the minister added.
He said because of the ” very limited number of cases” in his department details relating to the “duration of suspension cannot be released as it may potentially identify the officer(s) concerned”.
The Independent TD for Laois-Offaly had also asked Minister McConalogue to provide details of employees within bodies “under the aegis of his department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations”.
However Minister McConalogue did not disclose any details relating to employees in bodies under the aegis of DAFM.
“The details requested in relation to bodies under the aegis of my department are a matter for the individual bodies concerned,” he stated.
Separately Deputy Nolan had also asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications “the number of employees within his department and bodies under the aegis of his department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations”.
The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, confirmed that “the number of employees within my department who are currently suspended on full pay pending disciplinary investigations is zero”.
He added: “I have requested that the bodies under the aegis of my department respond to the deputy’s question directly.”
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