Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2009
765 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of occasions on which his Department has sanctioned or applied for the payment of a pension top-up or discretionary payment on retirement to a staff member of the Department or any agency under its remit in each of the past three years; the amount paid in each case; the position vacated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34343/09]
View answerThe 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, in accordance with the regulations governing these arrangements.
During the past three years, my Department has not sanctioned or applied for payment of any pension top-ups or discretionary pension-related payments outside the terms of those regulations.
There are no Government agencies under the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs.
766 Deputy Leo Varadkar asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of staff who have been dismissed for misconduct, poor performance or failing to fulfil the terms of their contract from his Department in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34358/09]
View answerNo civil servants were dismissed from my Department during the period in question.
However, the Deputy may wish to note that, during this period, the Department initiated disciplinary proceedings in a very small number of cases where serious misconduct was alleged. In the cases concerned, the relevant officers resigned from the Civil Service before the disciplinary process was completed.
In light of legal and data protection considerations and the small number of officers involved, it is not possible to provide any further information about the cases in question, as to do so might identify the individuals concerned.
