There have been six findings of “inappropriate use of social media” within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
In response to a question raised by the Social Democrats TD for Kildare North, Catherine Murphy, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said all of his departmental staff are required to follow a civil service code of conduct and that inappropriate use of social media is classified as “misconduct”.
According to Minister McConalogue, as part of his department’s social media policy, there is specific guidance in relation to the use of personal or unofficial accounts by officials.
Protocol for social media
Deputy Murphy asked Minister McConalogue about the protocols or guidelines he had issued in respect of the use of personal social media accounts by officials in his department and the number of sanctions imposed by the DAFM on its own officials in the last 10 years.
The Social Democrats TD for Kildare North also asked if social media platforms were restricted on the DAFM network and if certain applications were available to use and/or download onto departmental-issued mobile phones, or if they were barred from use.
Minister McConalogue said: “In accordance with the provisions of the civil service disciplinary code, concerns regarding conduct, including the appropriate use of social media, may in the first instance be raised informally with a staff member with a view to resolving the matter by the use of informal measures.
“However, on occasion it may be necessary or appropriate to initiate a formal disciplinary process in order to deal with the concern.
“Records relating to disciplinary sanctions in this category are not available prior to July 2016. Since then there have been six findings of misconduct in my department arising from concerns in respect of social media,” Minister McConalogue said.
He added that the use of DAFM-issued mobile devices “complies with the guidance provided by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)”.
“This guidance is based on risk assessments appropriate to the circumstances and is kept under continuous review,” the minister stated.
According to Minister McConalogue, the DAFM “expects all users of official devices to exercise appropriate discretion in their use, and in using relevant communications services in line with appropriate usage policies”.