Departmental Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 February 2012

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Questions (421)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

465 Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if any remuneration, stipend, expense facility, financial facility or similar payment is being made from the Exchequer to any senior public servant who has retired from his Department beyond any accrued pension entitlements; if any such payment has been sanctioned for current senior public servants who are about to retire from his Department; if he will list the name, positions and details of any relevant moneys paid or scheduled to be paid of any person in receipt of or sanctioned to receive such a payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8271/12]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan)

No such payments are being made by my Department to any former public servant who has retired from my Department and no such payments are anticipated to be made to any officials due to retire in the near future.

In 2010 eleven retired civil servants in receipt of civil service pensions were re-engaged by my Department on a fee basis at a total cost of €55,415. The abatement principle, which ensures that the fee paid plus pension does not exceed the rate of pay the pensioner would receive if he/she had continued service in their former post, applied to all such payments made. The tasks carried out included time bound tasks or projects such as membership of expert groups, occasional service on interview boards, value for money reviews and process audits.

Information relating to 2011 will be available following the finalisation of the Appropriation Accounts which are currently being compiled. Any re-engagement of former civil servants by my Department would have been on the same basis as outlined above.

Question No. 466 answered with Question No. 445.