Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2009
563 Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the cost of bonus payments made to staff in his Department for 2008; the amount set aside in his Department for bonus payments in 2009; if he will make a statement on the circumstances where a staff bonus will be paid in 2009. [4823/09]
View answerThere are two bonus schemes operating in my Department. The first is a scheme of performance-related awards that applies to Deputy and Assistant Secretaries and equivalent grades. It does not apply to the Secretary General. Details of awards to individual officers under the performance related scheme are not disclosed on the basis that they are confidential to the officer concerned. In 2008 a total of €180,000 was paid to 11 staff in respect of their performance during 2007. Details of the operation of this scheme are available in the annual reports of the Committee for Performance Awards which can be accessed on the website of the Department of Finance www.finance.gov.ie.
Following the announcement in the Dáil on 5 February last relating to the discontinuation of the scheme for Assistant Secretaries, Deputy Secretary and related grades, there is now no specific provision for payment under this scheme.
The Minister for Finance, in 1998, sanctioned payment of not more than 0.2% of Subhead A.1 (Salaries), to individual staff members or groups of staff in recognition of exceptional performance of duty. Awards under this provision can be made in the case of all grades below Assistant Secretary level. In 2008 €405,595 was paid out to staff in recognition of exceptional performance carried out in 2007. No funds have been allocated for the payment of awards in 2009.
