I propose to take Questions Nos. 463 and 464 together.
I have set out in the following table the amount that was granted in pensions to staff who retired early from my Department in each of the past five years.
Year
|
Amount granted in Pensions
|
|
€
|
2004
|
Nil
|
2005
|
463,142.50
|
2006
|
252,651.74
|
2007
|
51,789.20
|
2008
|
Nil
|
Total
|
767,583.44
|
The above pensions were paid to staff at the grades of Principal Officer, Assistant Principal Officer, Higher Executive Officer, Executive Officer, Staff Officer and Clerical Officer.
Posts of staff who retire which are required to be filled are done so by staff of an equivalent grade at the appropriate pay scale. It is not possible to compute the exact amounts paid where posts were filled as the posts themselves change in nature and will not always equate with the predecessor's post.