I propose to take Questions Nos. 761 and 762 together.
The following tables set out the numbers of staff in my Department who have availed of early retirement, whose contracts have been terminated or who have resigned since 2006, as well as the associated costs.
There are no Government agencies under the remit of the Department of ForeignAffairs.
Early Retirement
Year
|
Number of staff
|
Scheme
|
2006
|
1
|
Cost Neutral Early Retirement
|
2007
|
0
|
Not applicable
|
2008
|
0
|
Not applicable
|
2009 to date
|
16
|
Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement
|
The calculation of the pension benefits payable to retired members of my Department, including the appropriate lump sum due, is a matter for the Department of Finance. Accordingly, my Department is not in a position to provide information on the costs arising as a result of pension payments to individual officers who have availed of early retirement.
Contract Terminations
Year
|
Number of staff
|
Associated costs
|
|
|
€
|
2006
|
189
|
0
|
2007
|
140
|
73,262
|
2008
|
104
|
0
|
2009 to date
|
82
|
1,890
|
In 2007, payments were made to four individuals whose contracts were terminated. These payments were in accordance with contractual and legal obligations and comprised:
statutory redundancy;
a severance payment, based on a package sanctioned by the Department of Finance in 1994; and
pay in lieu of notice, as per the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Act, 1973-2001.
In 2009, statutory redundancy payments were made to three officers upon termination of their contracts.
Resignations
Year
|
Number of staff
|
2006
|
14
|
2007
|
14
|
2008
|
8
|
2009 to date
|
6
|
Apart from the appropriate statutory pension entitlements that might arise, there were no costs associated with any of the resignations listed above.