Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 7

Written Answers. - Ministerial Staff.

Sean Fleming

Question:

201 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the details of all severance payments, statutory redundancy payments, payments for untaken leave and minimum notice payments made to all ministerial personal staff, programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers arising from the change of Government in 1997. [7433/98]

Sean Fleming

Question:

202 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the number of days of untaken leave for all ministerial personal staff, programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers arising from the change of Government in 1997; the contractual obligations on these staff for the keeping of leave sheets; if leave sheets were kept in accordance with their contracts; and the way in which untaken leave was verified in each case. [7434/98]

Sean Fleming

Question:

203 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Finance the details of all severance payments, statutory redundancy payments, payments for untaken leave and minimum notice payments made to any ministerial programme managers, advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers who resigned before the change of Government in 1997; if these payments were provided for in their contracts or were legally claimable; and, if not, the reasons the payments were made. [7435/98]

Sean Fleming

Question:

204 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Finance if any ministerial programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal sec retaries and civilian drivers received severance, statutory redundancy, untaken leave or minimum notice payments in 1994 arising from the change of Government and also received them in 1997 arising either from their resignation or from the change of Government. [7436/98]

Minister for Finance (Mr. McCreevy)

I propose taking Questions Nos. 201, 202, 203 and 204 together.

The following table sets out details of the payments made in respect of severance, statutory redundancy, minimum notice and untaken annual leave to programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers in my Department following the change of Government in 1997.

Name	Severance Payments	Statutory Redundancy	Minimum Notice	Untaken Annual Leave (days)	Payment for Untaken Annual Leave
	£	£	£		£
Brendan Lynch	8,742.61	750	1,744.92	31	3,863.76
Ciaran O'Mara	13,915.74	900	1,744.92	19.5	2,430.43
Gerry Ashe	3,065.02	1,500	634.58	10.5	666.31
Frances Stephenson	5,915.50	600	680.20	8	777.37
Frank Staples	3,601.49	600	745.65	–	–
Frank O'Dwyer	5,645.69	600	1,360.41	30.5	2,963.74
Michael Daly	2,286.67	525.86	262.93	21.5	1,030.60
Peter Roberts	2,513.67	788.79	525.86	–	–

The contracts for such staff provide details of their respective annual leave allowances. The annual leave allowance is subject to the usual conditions which apply to the Civil Service regarding the granting of annual leave and to the making of returns of annual leave taken, at such times as may be determined by the head of the Department. The contracts do not specifically provide for the keeping of annual leave sheets. Payment in respect of untaken annual leave was calculated by reference to properly completed annual leave sheets being submitted to the Department's corporate services division immediately prior to the change of Government.

The only individual who resigned prior to the change of Government in 1997 was Mr. Aidan O'Connor, who was serving as personal assistant to the then Minister of State. Mr. O'Connor was entitled only to payment in respect of untaken annual leave days. This amounted to 9.5 days in his case and a payment of £533.26 was made accordingly.

None of those named above who received payments at the time of the change of Government in 1997 had received payments at the time of the previous change of Government in 1994.