Written Answers. - Oireachtas Staff Incomes.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:
71
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Finance
if he will outline the conditions attached to the payment of overtime to Civil Service grades employed in the Houses of the Oireachtas; the number of civil servants, by grade, who are in receipt of State retirement pensions in addition to their salary who are employed in the Houses of the Oireachtas; the amount and nature of such pensions; the amount of retirement gratuities paid to holders of such pensions; and the average gross weekly earnings of holders of such State retirement pensions for each of the years 1989 to 1991.
In general, standard overtime arrangements apply to staff in the Houses of the Oireachtas who are conditioned to fixed hours of attendance and whose salary maxima are equal to or below the salary maximum of the higher executive officer grade.
The standard rates of overtime are:
|
Monday—Friday Overtime
|
|
First 3 hours
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—time + ¼
|
|
Next 5 hours
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—time + ½
|
|
Thereafter
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—double time
|
|
Saturday Overtime
|
|
Up to 1 pm
|
—time + ½ or ordinary overtime rate, whichever is more favourable
|
|
After 1 p.m.
|
—double time
|
Sunday & Public Holiday Overtime Double time.
These rates apply in full to grades with salary maxima up to that of the executive office grade. Those grades with salary maxima above that of executive officer and below that of higher executive officer must give the first hour free for Monday — Friday overtime, and the hourly rate for overtime is calculated by reference to the officer's actual salary or the 4th point of the HEO scale, whichever is lower.
The grade of usher in the Houses of the Oireachtas is not encompassed by the standard overtime arrangements. Instead ushers are paid an hourly gratuity in respect of extra attendance. Staff in higher grades which are not covered by the standard overtime arrangements may be given time off in lieu in respect of extra attendance.
The numbers of civil servants by grade in receipt, in addition to their salaries, of pensions in respect of previous State employment is as follows:
1 Superintendent
2 Captain of the Guard
7 Ushers
8 Services Officers
All such pensions arise from service as officers, non-commissioned officers or privates with the Permanent Defence Forces in respect of periods of service ranging from 21 to 28 years and range from £2,647.67 to £11,414 per year. The total annual sum currently paid in such pensions to civil servants in the Houses of the Oireachtas is £90,447.05.
In the case of two of the ushers no gratuity was paid at the time of their discharge from the Defence Forces. The gratuities based on the rates of pay applying in the Defence Forces at the time of discharge paid to persons now employed as civil servants in the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas ranged from £1,058.82 to £9,765.62. The amount paid amounted to £61,893.70.
Four of the services officers in question did not commence employment until May 1991 and the weekly average gross earnings of the remaining staff for the tax years 1988-9, 1989-90 and 1990-1 were as follows:
|
1988-90
|
1989-90
|
1990-91
|
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
|
Superintendent
|
527.57
|
540.82
|
554.31
|
|
Captain of the Guard
|
420.14
|
448.67
|
509.67
|
|
Usher
|
202.23
|
209.88
|
267.84
|
|
Usher
|
212.49
|
218.45
|
287.49
|
|
Usher
|
221.31
|
229.89
|
315.58
|
|
Usher
|
243.88
|
243.74
|
293.94
|
|
Usher
|
190.02
|
192.87
|
222.48
|
|
Usher
|
222.08
|
223.72
|
270.30
|
|
Usher
|
Nil
|
255.03
|
257.91
|
|
Services Officer
|
197.53
|
196.11
|
224.80
|
|
Services Officer
|
222.84
|
242.11
|
272.80
|
|
Services Officer
|
225.32
|
252.86
|
276.70
|
|
Services Officer
|
244.27
|
211.07
|
237.70
|
