Departmental Staff.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2008

Tuesday, 21 October 2008

Questions (148, 149, 150, 151)

Leo Varadkar

Question:

237 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Finance the average level of absenteeism within his Department for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35799/08]

Leo Varadkar

Question:

238 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Finance the average level of staff absenteeism within each of the agencies within his Department’s remit for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35814/08]

Written answers

Minister for Finance (Deputy Brian Lenihan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 238 together.

The percentage of days lost through sickness in my department over the last five years is as follows:

Year	% absenteeism
2003	3.36%
2004	3.04%
2005	2.47%
2006	3.22%
2007	2.52%

These percentages are calculated by reference to the total number of people serving at the end of December each year and the number of working days per year excluding the following; weekends, privilege days and bank holidays.

In relation to my Department and the bodies under the aegis of the Department the following tables give details in respect of the % of absenteeism for the years 2003-2007.

Public Appointments Service

Year	% absenteeism
2004	2.98%
2005	3.46% – 4.17%
2006	2.9% – 4.5%
2007	3.9% – 4.5%

Valuation Office

Year	% absenteeism
2003	5%
2004	5%
2005	5%
2006	3%
2007	4%

Valuation Tribunal

Year	% absenteeism
2003	0%
2004	1%
2005	21%
2006	2%
2007	2%

Ombudsman's Office

Year	% absenteeism
2003	3%
2004	4%
2005	3%
2006	4%
2007	4%

State Laboratory

Year	% absenteeism
2003	2.1%
2004	3.5%
2005	3.2%
2006	5.1%
2007	4.8%

National Treasury Management Agency

Year	% absenteeism
2003	1.34%
2004	1.25%
2005	1.36%
2006	1.77%
2007	1.36%

Revenue Commissioners

Year	% absenteeism
2003	4.1%
2004	4.6%
2005	4.9%
2006	4.4%
2007	4.6%

The Office of Public Works and Special EU Programmes Body are currently collating the information requested by the Deputy and will forward the information directly to the Deputy when this process is completed.

Leo Varadkar

Question:

239 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff within his Department who have availed of early retirement schemes in each of the past three years; the breakdown of such by the grade and age of the staff who availed of the schemes; the breakdown of the reason for granting early retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35829/08]

Leo Varadkar

Question:

240 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff within agencies within the remit of his Department who have availed of early retirement schemes in each of the past three years; the breakdown of such by the grade and age of the staff who availed of the schemes; the breakdown of the reasons for granting early retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35844/08]

Minister for Finance (Deputy Brian Lenihan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 240 together.

I assume the Deputy is referring to a voluntary early retirement scheme. No such scheme is available to staff in the Civil Service. However, there are other arrangements which make provision for retirement earlier than normal pension age in certain circumstances. Arrangements for cost-neutral early retirement were introduced in 2005 under Department of Finance Circular 10/2005 and are available in the Civil and Public Service generally. In broad terms this facility, which was recommended by the Commission on Public Service Pensions, allows staff who are within ten years of their normal pension age to apply for early retirement with immediate payment of their superannuation benefits. The benefits are actuarially reduced to ensure that the early payment is cost-neutral to the Exchequer. Retirement before normal pension age with immediate payment of superannuation benefits may be permitted on medical grounds. Superannuation benefits may also be paid to a Civil Servant before normal pension age as a consequence of the abolition of his or her post or removal from office to facilitate improvements in the organisation of the Department by which greater efficiency and economy can be effected.

The number of staff who retired under each of the above arrangements in each of the past three years is set out below. As the numbers involved are so small any further breakdown by age and grade as requested would not be appropriate.

Department of Finance	2006	2007	2008
Abolition of Grade	Nil	Nil	1
Cost Neutral Early Retirement (CENR)	2	Nil	Nil
Ill Health	1	2	3

Office of the Revenue Commissioners	2006	2007	2008
Abolition of Grade	Nil	Nil	Nil
CENR	22	24	15
Ill Health	21	15	11

Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI)	2006	2007	2008 (not under remit of Dept of Finance since 1/01/08)
Abolition of Grade	2	1
CENR	1	Nil
Ill Health	Nil	1

State Laboratory	2006	2007	2008
Abolition of Grade	Nil	Nil	Nil
CENR	Nil	Nil	Nil
Ill Health	2	Nil	Nil

Valuation Office/Tribunal	2006	2007	2008
Abolition of Grade	Nil	Nil	Nil
CENR	Nil	Nil	1
Ill Health	Nil	Nil	Nil

Public Appointments Service	2006	2007	2008
Abolition of Grade	Nil	Nil	Nil
CENR	Nil	1	Nil
Ill Health	Nil	1	Nil

At the time of reply details were unavailable for a small number of bodies under the remit of the Department. Details will be forwarded to the Deputy as they become available.