I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 316 together.
At the request of the Chairman of the Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalene Laundries, my Department re-engaged, on a part-time basis, one Principal Officer who retired in February 2012 and who had represented the Department on the Committee prior to his retirement.
An all-inclusive fee of €1,500 was sanctioned by the Department of Public Expenditure to cover the cost of completing this work, based on an estimated requirement of up to 10 working days. Any travel and subsistence costs incurred in fulfilling this role will be reimbursed by my Department.
Under the abatement rules the officer's pension together with the fee of €1,500 does not breach the salary received prior to retirement, the issue of abatement does not arise in this instance.