Teagasc Code of Standards and Behaviour

March 2007

Download the Code of Standards in printer-friendly format (125KB PDF format)

Introduction

This document has been drafted with reference to the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour which was issued in September 2004. To work in the public service is to work for the common good. The traditional values of the public service - honesty, impartiality and integrity - are about serving this common good. Standards of probity are high and must be maintained. These values must be the basis for the official actions of all Teagasc staff.

The tradition of Teagasc has been one of loyal and impartial service for the benefit of the Agriculture and Food Industry and to contribute to vibrant rural economy and society in Ireland.

The Human Resources Strategy recommended the drawing up of a protocol to enhance a professional ethos in the organisation. The development of this new Code delivers on the recommendation and recognises explicitly the need to restate and promote core public service values. New systems for providing quality customer service, for devolving responsibility to centres/offices and managers, for managing performance and for using information technology are all posing challenges to existing policies and practices. Changes to the regulatory environment and new Human Resource Management systems will also have a major impact on the way Teagasc operates. To get the best from the new ways of doing business, they have to be grounded in a public service ethos which sets out clearly the standards expected and ways in which people will achieve them.

To underpin the change process, an integrated approach to the values, standards and behaviour of staff is now being adopted through this Code. The Code sets out a clear framework within which staff must work. It sets out in a single document the principles which should govern the behaviour of staff and the values which Teagasc espouses.

Part I - Teagasc Code of Standards and Behaviour – An Overview

1. The Code in Context

Staff can be justly proud of the high standards of conduct which have characterised their service over many years and enabled them to carry out the mission of Teagasc. The Teagasc Code of Standards and Behaviour is an important element of the overall framework within which all staff are expected to work. It sets out the standards required of staff in the discharge of their duties. These standards of behaviour and values will support a high quality service, based on high levels of personal performance and responsibility.

2. The Requirements of the Code

In the performance of their duties staff must:

Maintain high standards in service delivery by:
- conscientiously, honestly and impartially serving the organisation
- always acting within the law; and
- performing their duties with efficiency, diligence and courtesy
Observe appropriate behaviour at work by:
- dealing with the public / clients sympathetically, fairly and promptly; and
- treating their colleagues with respect
Maintain the highest standards of probity by:
- conducting themselves with honesty, impartiality and integrity;
- never seeking to use improper influence, in particular, never seeking to use political influence to affect decisions concerning their official positions;
- abiding by guidelines in respect of offers of gifts or hospitality; and
- avoiding conflicts of interest.

3. Application of the Code

3.1 The provisions of the Code apply to all staff (i.e. permanent or contract staff) whether full-time or employed on an atypical basis (e.g. temporary or part-time). They also apply to staff on forms of special leave including career break except where they deal with circumstances which can only arise where the staff member is at work.

3.2 This Code forms part of the terms of employment of all staff who are expected to apply it at all times. An opportunity will be given to staff to obtain clarification on any aspect of the Code. Staff induction courses will include instruction on the provisions of the Code. Breaches of the Code will constitute a breach of the terms of employment of a staff member and may result in disciplinary action.

Part Two: Standards Required of Staff

The detailed standards required of staff in the performance of their official duties are set out in this part of the Code. The Code also details specific requirements placed on certain staff following their retirement or resignation.

Standards Underpinning Service Delivery

The standards which underpin the general ethos of Teagasc are set out below:

4. Impartiality

Staff in the performance of their official duties:

must conscientiously serve the organisation
must advise and implement policy impartially
should not display partiality whether as a result of personal or family ties or otherwise

5. Staff and Politics

Canvassing or lobbying of public representations with a view to putting pressure on management or compromising Teagasc’s policies will be treated, prima facia, as a serious breach of conduct in respect of which disciplinary measures will be invoked.

6. Respect for the law

6.1 The work of Teagasc is carried out within a framework of law. It is the duty of staff to respect these legal constraints, in particular:

never to act in a manner which they know, or suspect, is illegal, improper, or unethical or for which they have no legal authority; and
to exercise any discretion which may be conferred by law in a bona fide manner in accordance with the intentions of the statute.

6.2 Staff members who have doubts about the legality of a particular action which they are required to take in the course of their official duties should refer the matter to their line manager whose responsibility it is to issue a direction on the matter, following legal advice where necessary.

7. Disclosure of information

7.1 All staff should ensure that they deal with queries from members of the public in an open and helpful way. Under the Freedom of Information Acts 1997 and 2003 (FOI Acts), members of the public enjoy a legal right of access to information held by Teagasc and other public bodies, subject to certain exemptions defined in the FOI Acts. Arising from the FOI Acts, certain staff members (trained as Decision Makers) are given explicit responsibility for the provision of information to members of the public on foot of requests under the FOI Acts.

7.2 Particular care should be taken to safeguard information concerning the private or commercial affairs of members of the public, clients, companies or organisations which have been submitted in connection with official business on condition, or on the reasonable assumption, that it would remain confidential. The FOI Acts recognise the importance of protecting such information in the normal course from third party access. Where exceptionally sensitive information of a personal, commercially sensitive or confidential nature is under consideration for release in the public interest, the FOI Acts impose a number of safeguards to ensure the rights of the person(s) concerned are fully respected.

8. Dealings with the public / clients

8.1 Staff should:

ensure that members of the public / clients have their affairs dealt with sympathetically, efficiently and promptly;
always give their names to any member of the public / clients with whom they are dealing, except where given a special exemption, for example, on security grounds; and
ensure that members of the public / clients are dealt with in a respectful manner.

8.2 Staff should:

ensure that their standard of dress is appropriate to their work environment;
show due consideration and respect for the public / clients, their colleagues and the office they hold.

9. Criminal Convictions

A staff member who is convicted of a criminal offence or given the benefit of the Probation Act when charged with a criminal offence (whether the Probation Act is (i) applied where summary proceedings for an offence are brought, the case is proven and the Court decides not to proceed to conviction or (ii) applied on conviction on indictment of an offence which is punishable by imprisonment and the Court places the convicted person on probation rather than imprison him or her) must report that fact to the Human Resource Department. In certain circumstances, this may have implications for his or her employment position. Teagasc will exercise discretion in dealing with cases in the light of the merits of each case. In accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003, such information will be treated in strict confidence by Teagasc and no record of it will be kept unless the information is relevant to the official duties being carried out by the staff member.

Behaviour at Work

10. Attendance and performance

Staff are required:

to attend at work as required and not to absent themselves from duty without proper authorisation;
to comply with the terms of the sick leave regulations;
at all times, to act in a manner consistent with the proper performance of the functions of their Teagasc position and with the maintenance of public confidence in such performance, including refraining from conduct which might impair performance;^[1]
to ensure non-discriminatory language is used in all communications, both internal and external, including display material and documents in electronic form; and
not to engage in any outside business or occupation during their normal hours of duty (see paragraphs 15 and 19 below concerning business activities outside of normal working hours).

11. Regard for Teagasc Resources

11.1 Staff should endeavour to ensure the proper, effective, and efficient use of Teagasc’s resources.

Staff are required to:

take proper and reasonable care of Teagasc property and not to use it, or permit its use, for unauthorised purposes^[2];
incur no liability on the part of Teagasc without proper authorisation; and
ensure that expenses, such as travel and subsistence payments, are not unnecessarily incurred either by themselves or by staff reporting to them.

12. Internet and Email Policy

Internet Policy

12.1 Teagasc provides internet access as a resource to help you do your job and be well informed. This policy is designed to make you aware of Teagasc’s expectations for the use of this resource, it also sets guidelines as to what is acceptable use of internet facilities. The policy exists to protect you (the user), the good name of Teagasc, the security and integrity of its computer networks and its electronically stored information and to prevent misuse of the service.

This policy must be adhered to at all times, failure to do so may result in withdrawal of the facilities and disciplinary action. Staff should be aware that some of the infringements described in this document may give rise to serious disciplinary action, including dismissal.

General Principles

The policy applies to all staff, permanent and temporary, contract, students etc
Internet access is considered to be a Teagasc resource and is intended to be used for business purposes only. Not all information on the internet is accurate, staff are responsible for the validation of such information prior to transmission of that information to a third party.
Each member of staff has a responsibility to ensure that they do not expose Teagasc’s data files to possible corruption or unauthorised access. Any PC connected to the internet is potentially available to every other PC connected to the internet. Each staff member is responsible for ensuring that existing security precautions – such as login, passwords etc – are kept secure at all times.
Teagasc has installed an internet firewall to help ensure safety and security at all times. Any staff member who attempts to disable, defeat or circumvent any Teagasc security facility could be subject to disciplinary action.
Internet facilities may not be used for non-work related purposes during office hours. However, they may be used for personal reasons outside of working hours, provided such use does not interfere with the conduct of Teagasc’s normal business activities, does not involve solicitation and is not associated with any outside business activity.

Unacceptable use of the internet

to knowingly compromise or embarrass Teagasc or the Authority
to contravene any Irish or international law
to infringe Teagasc or third party copyright or intellectual property rights or otherwise compromise proprietary, commercial or sensitive information
to visit internet sites that contain obscene, pornographic, threatening, hateful, racially harassing or other objectionable material
to transmit or receive such material
for any illegal purpose
to solicit business for personal gain or profit
to subscribe to electronic services or other contracts on behalf of Teagasc unless you have the express authority to do so
to cause Teagasc to incur financial liability, e.g. for software licensing, music or video rights
to represent personal opinion as being that of Teagasc on any website
to propagate any virus or malicious software
to disable or overload any computer system or network
to hack into or otherwise circumvent the security or privacy of another system
to download unauthorised software programs
to download or distribute software or data in contravention of any Irish or international law or in contravention of software vendors' license agreements
to download entertainment software or to play games.

Monitoring

Teagasc records all internet traffic and all sites visited. Logs will be monitored on a regular basis to ensure that the integrity of Teagasc’s files are not threatened and that members of staff do not expose Teagasc to possible litigation through the accessing of inappropriate sites or the transmission of inappropriate material.

Email Policy

12.2. This policy is designed to make you aware of Teagasc’s expectations for the use of email. The policy exists to protect you (the user), the good name of Teagasc, the security and integrity of its computer networks and its electronically stored information and to prevent misuse of the service.

General Principles

Email is considered to be a Teagasc resource and is intended to be used for business purposes only. Email is an efficient communication system which enables the sending and receiving of messages between staff and between Teagasc and its clients. The email can effectively by-pass typewritten documents, faxes and the need to post documents. There, are, however risks attached to the sending of emails:
Your message may go to persons other than the intended recipient and if confidential or commercially sensitive this could be damaging to Teagasc.
Email messages can carry computer viruses which are particularly dangerous to Teagasc’s computer operations generally.
Messages also traverse other computer systems en route to a destination and could therefore be intercepted before arrival.
Letters, files and other documents attached to emails may belong to others and there may be copyright implications in sending or receiving them without permission. Email messages are easily forged, so they should never be accepted as sole proof of the sender’s identity.
Email messages written in haste or written carelessly could give rise to legal liability on Teagasc’s part such as claims for defamation, etc.
An email message may legally bind Teagasc contractually in certain instances without the proper authority being obtained internally.
It should be remembered that all personal data contained in emails may be accessible under Data Protection legislation and, further, as is the case with ordinary letters, a substantial portion of emails to Government and other public bodies may be accessible under Freedom of Information legislation.
Email facilities may not be used for non work related purposes during official working hours. However, they may be used for personal reasons outside of working hours, provided such use does not interfere with the conduct of Teagasc’s normal business activities, does not involve solicitation and is not associated with any outside business activity.

Unacceptable use of email

to knowingly compromise or embarrass Teagasc or the Authority
to contravene any Irish or international law
to infringe Teagasc or third party copyright or intellectual property rights or otherwise compromise proprietary, commercial or sensitive information
to transmit or receive any obscene, pornographic, threatening, hateful, racially harassing or other objectionable material; if you receive any offensive, unpleasant, harassing or intimidating messages via the email you are requested to inform your manager or the ICT Unit immediately. It is important that we trace such emails as quickly as possible.
for any illegal purpose
to solicit business for personal gain or profit
to represent personal opinion as being that of Teagasc
to subscribe to electronic services or other contracts on behalf of Teagasc unless you have the express authority to do so

Monitoring

Teagasc reserves the right to monitor e-mail. Computer files, including e-mail messages, may be looked at as needed, e.g. in trouble-shooting system problems. E-mail messages are not routinely encrypted before leaving Teagasc. Users should bear this in mind if sending sensitive communications and documents through e-mail. Encryption means the translation of data into a secret code. To read an encrypted file, you must have access to a secret key or password that enables you to decrypt it.

All staff should complete an acknowledgement of understanding of the above policies (if they have not already done so in induction). This can be done by accessing the HR4U site, double clicking on email and internet policies, and downloading an ‘acknowledgement and understanding form’. Upon completion the form should be submitted to the HR Department.

13. Relations with colleagues

Staff should show due respect for their colleagues at work, including their values and beliefs. Staff should ensure that their behaviour towards other colleagues is appropriate in the workplace. Staff have a legal duty not to discriminate against colleagues on the basis of their gender, race, sexual orientation, membership of the traveller community, disability, age, marital status, family status or religious belief. Staff should support a positive working environment by observing and supporting Teagasc’s policy on equality, harassment, sexual harassment and bullying.

Standards of Integrity

14. Improper influence

Staff are not allowed to:

use their Teagasc positions to benefit themselves or others with whom they have personal, family, business or other ties;
seek to influence decisions on matters pertaining to their Teagasc positions except through the established procedures (for example, negotiating or grievance procedures) or in such other manner as Teagasc may approve. In particular, staff must not use political influence to affect decisions concerning their Teagasc positions. Any breach of these rules may render a staff member liable to disciplinary action.

15. Conflicts of interest

15.1 Staff may not at any time engage in, or be connected with, any outside business or activity which would in any way conflict with the interests of Teagasc, or be inconsistent with their official positions, or tend to impair their ability to carry out their duties as staff. For this reason, staff intending to be engaged in or connected with any outside business or employment should inform the Human Resource Department of such an intention. Whole-time staff whose duties are of a professional character (e.g. Teagasc advisors) must not engage in private practice in their professions. Any case in which the propriety of undertaking a particular business or occupation could reasonably be open to question must be referred by the staff member concerned to the Head of Human Resources or the Director of Administration.

15.2 Staff must never seek to use knowledge acquired in the performance, or as a result of, their Teagasc duties to benefit themselves, or others with whom they have personal, family or other ties. A staff member who, in the course of his or her official duties, comes into contact with any matter affecting any commercial undertaking in which he or she has an interest, must immediately disclose the nature and extent of that interest to the Head of Human Resources or the Director of Administration. Another staff member should in the normal course, unless the Head of Human Resources or the Director of Administration considers it unnecessary, be assigned to deal with the matter.

15.3 A staff member who experiences financial difficulties which may compromise, or be reasonably seen by others to compromise, him or her in the performance of his or her duties (e.g., through bankruptcy, or insolvency, or by incurring a significant liability to any person, financial institution or other body with whom he or she has official dealings) must report that fact to the Head of Human Resources or the Director of Administration. Any such information shall be dealt with in the strictest confidence by Teagasc and the staff member concerned will be offered such assistance as is available to resolve his or her difficulties.

15.4 A staff member is not permitted to make representations on behalf of an outside association or organisation, either as an individual or as a member of a delegation, in relation to matters for which Teagasc has responsibility except with the specific prior consent of the Head of Human Resources.

16. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest

16.1 Staff who occupy positions which are "designated positions" for the purposes of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001 (the Ethics Acts) have certain statutory obligations in relation to disclosure of interests. Those obligations are additional to any which apply generally to staff under the provisions of this Code. It should be noted that all staff are required to observe the provisions of this Code, such as the provisions in relation to the acceptance of gifts, which are more stringent than corresponding statutory provisions.

16.2 The positions in Teagasc which have been designated for the purposes of the Ethics Acts are contained in the Ethics in Public Office (Designated Positions in Public Bodies) Regulations 1996 (S.I. No. 57 of 1996). In summary, established staff at Principal Officer level and upwards are affected by the provisions of the Acts. The Acts also apply to a range of less senior positions (e.g. posts dealing with contracts or in commercially sensitive areas) The Human Resource Department will notify staff members on taking up duty in a designated position of the obligations attaching to that position.

16.3 Staff will be furnished with a copy of the “Guidelines for Public Servants concerning the steps to be taken by them to assist compliance with the provisions of the Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001” published by the Standards in Public Office Commission.

17. Gifts

17.1 Staff should not receive benefits of any kind from a third party which might reasonably be seen to compromise their personal judgement or integrity. The overriding concern is that the actions of staff be above suspicion and not give rise to any actual or potential conflict of interest, and that their dealings with commercial and other interests should bear the closest possible scrutiny.

17.2 The receipt of gifts, as distinct from hospitality, by staff from those with whom they have official dealings must be governed by the highest standards. The following general guidelines provide a framework within which decisions in this area can be made or local rules formulated. For the purposes of these provisions, the term “gift” includes any benefit (other than a benefit dealt with under paragraph 19 of the code) which is given to a staff member free of charge or at less than its commercial price.

Subject to any rules which Teagasc may determine, a staff member may accept and retain gifts of modest value (e.g. diaries, pens, etc.). Any gift of more significant value should be refused or, if such refusal would cause offence, should be handed over by the staff member concerned to the Human Resource Department
A gift, other than a gift of modest value, given to a staff member by virtue of his or her official relationship with the donor or Teagasc’s commercial dealings with the donor must be regarded as property of Teagasc. However, benefits under frequent flyer schemes may be retained by individual staff in recognition of the fact that official travel is disruptive to personal and family life.
Particular care should be taken in relation to gifts from donors who stand to derive a personal or commercial benefit from their relationship with Teagasc
Cash, gift cheques or any vouchers that may be exchanged for cash may not be accepted regardless of the amount.
Staff may not solicit gifts, directly or indirectly.
Staff may not approach any business with which they have contact through their official duties seeking sponsorship or support for any club, charitable organisation, association, trade union or other organisation. Teagasc will apply discretion in the application of this rule to instances of very small patronage.
Staff should not accept special facilities or discounts on private purchases from suppliers with whom they have official dealings.

17.3 It should be noted that, under the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 2001 as amended by the Ethics in Public Office Act 1995, the corrupt giving of gifts to, or receipt of gifts by, staff is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment or fine or both. The Acts provide that money, gifts or other consideration received by a staff member from a person holding or seeking to obtain a contract from Teagasc is deemed to have been received corruptly unless the contrary is proved.

18. Hospitality

18.1 It is impossible to lay down definite rules covering the acceptance of hospitality in all circumstances. The overriding concern is that all actions of staff in carrying out their official duties be above suspicion and not give rise to any actual or potential conflict of interest, and that their dealings with commercial and other interests should bear the closest possible scrutiny. It is accepted that staff should not be put in a position where they cannot accept what are regarded as normal courtesies in business relationships. However, in their contacts with outside organisations or persons, every care must be taken by staff to ensure that their acceptance of hospitality does not influence them, and could not reasonably be seen to influence them, in discharging their official functions.

18.2 The following general guidelines provide a framework within which decisions in this area can be made or local rules formulated. Teagasc will apply these rules on hospitality or make local rules derived from them.

All offers of hospitality from commercial interests which have or might have contractual relations with Teagasc must be reported by that staff member to his or her manager for direction.
No objection would normally be made to the acceptance of what is regarded as routine hospitality, for example, a business lunch. What may be regarded as “routine” for this purpose will depend on a number of factors such as the value of the hospitality offered, the frequency of offers, whether there is an element of reciprocity and the general circumstances in which it is offered (for example, whether it is offered by a company to all its customers or is directed at specific or potential customers). Certain types of hospitality (for example involving travelling abroad or holiday weekends) should not be regarded as routine and should always be referred to management for direction.
Staff should not accept offers of hospitality which go beyond the routine practices referred to above, except where acceptance of such an offer can be clearly shown to be in the interest of Teagasc and has been approved by the manager of the staff member.

19. Payment for work on behalf of outside bodies

19.1 On occasion staff are asked to carry out tasks for which they receive payment or other benefit in kind on behalf of bodies other than Teagasc, as a consequence of their official positions (e.g. sitting on interview boards). While, in many instances, this practice does not give rise to problems, there are certain circumstances where difficulties may arise, such as where the task performed forms part of the Teagasc duties of a staff member or is performed during normal working hours.

19.2 The following standards should be applied

Where because of his or her official position, a staff member is invited to carry out work on behalf of an outside body, he or she shall notify the Human Resource Department in advance and may not seek or retain payment (other than appropriate travel and subsistence expenses) or other benefit in kind where the proposed activity is part of the staff members official duties. Any benefit in kind should be returned to the body in question.
A staff member may accept a modest payment or benefit in kind if the task, while work related, is not an integral part of his or her official duties and is carried on outside of normal working hours.
The question of whether or not a task is an integral part of a staff member’s official duties may normally be determined by reference to the relevant work programmes. In case of doubt the staff member should request his or her manager to determine if the task is an integral part of official duties.
In cases where no payment or other compensation arises a small token gift may be accepted by a staff member by way of recognition.
Where a staff member has any doubts, the matter should be referred to a manager for determination in accordance with the guidelines outlined above. If a staff member is unhappy with the decision of a senior officer, he or she may appeal the matter to the Human Resource Department.

20. Contracts with, purchases from or sales to Teagasc

20.1 A staff member should not seek contracts with Teagasc for the supply of goods or services (other than for employment) either for his or her own benefit, or for any partnership or company with which he or she has an involvement in his or her private capacity or on behalf of other persons or organisations.

20.2 Teagasc will not knowingly undertake to contract for the supply of goods or services (other than for employment) with a staff member or with any partnership or company with which a staff member has an involvement in his or her private capacity.

20.3 No purchase should be made from, and no sale made to, a staff member, any partnership or company with which a staff member has an involvement in his or her private capacity in respect of goods or services unless prior sanction has been obtained from the Line Manager in the area in which the transaction arises, following consultation with the Head of HR.

20.4 A staff member who enters into any undertaking, or who holds any outside interest or participates in any outside business affecting, or likely to affect, a Teagasc contract or the purchase or sale of Teagasc property must immediately disclose the nature and extent of his or her interest to Teagasc. A staff member should not accept a directorship (except as a nominee of Teagasc) in any company holding a Teagasc contract or in a company which may reasonably be expected to hold such a contract in future.

20.5 Staff shall not negotiate or arbitrate in any matter affecting a Teagasc contract or the purchase from or sale of goods to Teagasc where, in their private capacities, they are interested either as principals or as shareholders in a company being one of the principals in the matter under consideration.

21. Acceptance of outside appointments and of consultancy engagement following resignation or retirement

21.1 The following provisions are designed to foster a culture in which staff are fully aware of the potential for conflict of interest in accepting positions outside Teagasc. It is important to declare to the appropriate authority (see paragraph 20.4) such potential conflicts of interest in order to avoid any suspicion that the advice and decisions of a serving officer might be influenced by the expectation of future employment with a particular firm or organisation. However, it is not the intention to place an unnecessary burden on staff in this regard and it is expected that these provisions will not affect the generality of former staff joining outside employment.

21.2 Any staff member intending to be engaged in or connected with (i) any outside business with which he or she had official dealings or (ii) any outside business that might gain an unfair advantage over its competitors by employing him or her must inform Teagasc of such an intention. Additionally, staff who hold positions which are “designated positions” for purposes of the Ethics Acts shall not, within twelve months of resigning or retiring from the service:

accept an offer of appointment from an employer outside Teagasc or
accept an engagement in a particular consultancy project,

where the nature and terms of such appointment or engagement could lead to a conflict of interest, without first obtaining approval from the appropriate authority as outlined at 20.4. These rules also apply to other persons designated under the Ethics Acts and to staff members in grades below the pay level of Principal who, although not serving in a designated post at the time of their retirement/resignation, have served in such a post at any stage during the six months prior to their retirement/resignation. In such cases, the twelve month period in which these rules apply will be reckoned from the staff members last day in the designated post.

21.3 In general, Teagasc will monitor the acceptance of outside appointments by staff and former staff.

21.4 Staff who (i) intend to be engaged in or connected with any outside business in the manner described at paragraph 20.2 or (ii) who hold “designated positions” (under the Ethics Acts) must make their applications as follows:

Staff members below Assistant Secretary level must apply to the Director of Administration or the Director of Teagasc
Staff members at and above Assistant Secretary level must apply to the Director, or in the case of the Director, to the Chairman of the Teagasc Authority

21.5 Applications will be considered by the appropriate authority on the basis of determining whether or not a clear conflict of interest exists. Approval to take up an appointment or accept an engagement may either be unconditional or conditions may be attached.

21.6 Where the Director of Administration or the Director of Teagasc attaches conditions to taking up an appointment, the staff member concerned may refer the decision to the Chairman of the Teagasc Authority for review.

21.7 The Director of Administration or the Director of Teagasc reserve the right to take appropriate action in the event that the provisions of this section are not complied with.

22. Outside Appointments Board

22.1 The Director of Administration and the Director will adhere to the general principles for the consideration of matters in this area as set down by the Outside Appointments Board established by the Minister for Finance.

Ethics in Research

23. Good Practice in Research

This section has been drafted with reference to codes of practice from the National University of Ireland and University College Dublin. Maintenance of the highest standards in research is a central and critical responsibility of Teagasc. It is of paramount importance that the ethics and integrity of research are beyond question as the individual not only has a responsibility to him/herself but also to society. Staff members have a responsibility to act in accordance with the highest standards of integrity and to conform to legal practice and Teagasc’s codes of practice.

Teagasc recognises the need to set out its position in relation to good research practice. Research integrity is the basis on which research communication and collaboration depends. It demands that those engaging in research and scholarship of whatever discipline should adhere to the following basic principles.

24. Principles of Good Research

Honesty

24.1 Regardless of discipline, staff members must be honest with regard to their own actions in research and in their responses to the actions of other researchers. This applies to all research: experimental design, generating and analysing data, applying for research funding, publishing results and acknowledging the direct and indirect contributions of formal collaborators and other researchers. All staff members must refrain from piracy, plagiarism, fraud, deception or the fabrication or falsification of results. In addition staff members must not sabotage the work, records or protocols of other researchers. Carrying out any of these actions will be regarded as a serious disciplinary offence.

Openness

24.2 Teagasc recognises that staff members need to protect their own research interests in the process of planning their research and obtaining results. However, Teagasc encourages researchers to be as open as possible when discussing their work with other researchers and with the public. Upon publication of research results, staff members should make material available on request. However, this will be subject to any ethics approvals and consents which cover the material in addition to any intellectual property rights.

Academic Freedom

24.3 Teagasc is committed to academic freedom as this is essential to the accomplishment of the overall mission of Teagasc. Advances in research are the result of free, creative thinking by individuals. However, in exercising their right to seek and communicate freely and openly, staff members must act in accordance with the highest standards of integrity and must conform to professional codes and legislation.

Data Storage and Retention

24.4 Researchers are required to keep clear and accurate records of results. This will include the methodology used to obtain results, the actual results and the analysis and interpretation of those results. Particular attention should be paid to the completeness, integrity and security of these records. Records should be held for a minimum period of five years. This is necessary not only as a means of demonstrating standard research procedure but also because where questions are asked about the conduct of the research or the results obtained the information is available. Data should be stored in such a manner that it allows verification either in paper or electronic format.

In exceptional circumstances, confidentiality provisions may apply to research data where the researcher has given confidentiality undertakings to a third party or where disclosure of information would involve the unreasonable disclosure of information relating to the personal affairs of a person, or where confidentiality is required to protect the intellectual property rights.

Leadership and Cooperation

24.5 In Teagasc it is the responsibility of research Heads of Department, senior staff members and principal researchers to ensure that a climate exists in which research is conducted in accordance with good research practice. These individuals must ensure that appropriate direction of research and supervision of researchers and research students takes place at all times. It is the responsibility of Heads of Department to convey the standards and protocols within their department and to ensure that adherence to these standards takes place.

Publication and Authorship

24.6 Every effort should be made to ensure that published material is complete, clear and accurate. Deliberate inclusion of inaccurate or misleading information or a failure to provide relevant information will be regarded as a form of research misconduct. As a general principle, research findings should not be reported to the public before they have been reported to a research audience of experts in the field of research, preferably by publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Authorship credit should only be given where the individual has made a substantial contribution to the conception, design, or the acquisition of data or analysis/interpretation of data. No author should be excluded without written permission. Any individual listed as an author should be responsible for ensuring familiarity with the material in question.

Conflict of Interest

24.7 The primary responsibility for managing conflict of interest rests with the individual. All researchers are responsible for the identification and declaration of any actual or potential conflicts of interest. This may relate to personal, financial, ethical, legal or otherwise. Where a conflict of interest is apparent, researchers must make this known to their Head of Department as soon as possible. The Head of Department must then determine how the conflict of interest will be managed/eliminated. Researchers have an obligation to disclose any conflict of interest at the time of reporting or proposing research.

Misconduct in Research

24.8 Failure to conduct research ethically, lawfully or in compliance with this Code of Practice may be regarded as misconduct/gross misconduct and may result in disciplinary action/dismissal. Teagasc will take any allegation of misconduct seriously. All allegations will be fully investigated and dealt with under the organisations disciplinary procedures where necessary. Misconduct does not include honest error or honest differences in design, execution or interpretation.

Appendix: Summary of the main features of the Code

Staff must be impartial in the performance of their duties. [Section 4]
Staff must respect the constraints of the law. [Section 6]
Staff must maintain high standards of service in all of their dealings with the public / clients [Section 8]
Staff who are convicted of criminal offences, or given the benefit of the Probation Act when tried for a criminal offence, must report that fact to the Head of Human Resources [Section 9]
Staff are required to attend at work as required and comply with the terms of sick leave regulations. [Section 10]
Staff are required to have due regard for Teagasc resources to ensure proper, effective and efficient use of public money. [Section 11]
Staff should show due respect to their colleagues including their beliefs and values. [Section 13]
The use of their official positions by staff to benefit themselves or others with whom they have personal or business ties is not allowed. Staff are also forbidden to seek to influence decisions on matters pertaining to their official positions other than through established procedures. [Section 14]
Staff may not engage in outside business or activity which would in any way conflict with the interests of Teagasc. [Section 15]
Staff who occupy “designated” positions for the purposes of the Ethics in Public Office Acts have certain statutory obligations in relation to disclosure of interests. These obligations are additional to any obligations imposed by the Code. [Section 16]
Staff should not receive benefits of any kind from a third party which might reasonably be seen to compromise their personal judgement or integrity.
The same principle applies to any acceptance of hospitality. Within the general framework of guidelines set out in the Code, every care must be taken to ensure that (a) any acceptance of hospitality does not influence, or is seen to influence, the discharging of official functions [Section 17] and (b) that there are clear and appropriate standards in place which have been notified to all staff in relation to payment for work on behalf of outside bodies. [Section 18]
Staff must not seek contracts with Teagasc for supply of goods or services whether for their own benefit or for the benefit of any company with which they may have an involvement in a private capacity. [Section 19]
Staff shall not accept an appointment, or particular consultancy project, where the staff member concerned believes that the nature and terms of such appointment could lead to a conflict of interest or the perception of such, without first obtaining the approval of the Director of Administration or Director of Teagasc as appropriate. Additionally, staff who hold positions which are “designated” positions for the purposes of the Ethics in Public Office Acts must, within twelve months of resigning or retiring, obtain the approval of the the Director of Administration or the Director of Teagasc as appropriate before taking up any outside appointment. [Sections 20 and 21]
Staff involved in research must adhere to the principles of good research as set out in this code at all times. Failure to conduct research as set out will be regarded as misconduct. [Sections 22 and 23]

^[1] Teagasc Employee Assistance Programme is available to help staff manage personal difficulties, which if left, might adversely affect their work performance and/or attendance and their quality of life.

^[2] “De minimis” use of Teagasc resources , i.e. a use that results in no actual cost to the organisation, or the cost to the organisation is so small as to be insignificant or negligible, is permitted.