51 bullying, sexual harassment allegations made in Department of Social Protection

There have been 93 allegations of bullying or sexual harassment across Government departments since 2011.

The figures on the number of claims made by staff in each department were released to Fianna Fáil's public expenditure spokesman Dara Calleary.

A total of 51 claims of bullying and sexual harassment were made in the Department of Social Protection between 2013 and last year. Twelve of these were investigated by the department, with two claims upheld. The department said figures were not available for the period before 2013.

In the Department of Agriculture, 18 cases of alleged workplace difficulties were raised with its human resources unit. Of these 18 cases, four cases met the criteria for bullying and were investigated. Two were upheld, two were not.

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Two sexual harassment claims have been lodged in the Department of Health since 2011. One was lodged in 2015 and a resolution was mediated locally by human resource staff. The second case was lodged last year and remains under investigation.

Three allegations of bullying were made in the Department of Children, five in the Department of Transport, two in the Department of Housing and six in the Department of Justice.

The Department of Foreign Affairs declined to give figures but confirmed a small number of complaints had been made.

No reports of sexual harassment or bullying were made by staff in the Department of the Taoiseach, the Department of Communications and the Department of Defence in the period.

One complaint was made in each of the Departments of Culture, Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, while two were filed in the Department of Education.