Departmental Staff Remuneration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 November 2012

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Questions (474, 475, 479, 480)

Brian Stanley

Question:

474. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of staff in his Department or in bodies which fall under the remit of his Department whose annual remuneration including salary, pension and benefits at 31 December 2011 fell into bands of €400,000 and above, between €300,000 to €399,999, between €200,000 to €299,999 and between €150,000 to €199,000; and if he will provide a breakdown of the positions held by the staff in relevant pay brackets. [52517/12]

Brian Stanley

Question:

475. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has made any contacts requesting staff whose annual salary is more than €200,000 in his Department or in any body under the remit of his Department, to waive 15% of their salary or such amount in excess of €200,000 whichever is the lesser; if he has, the date on which he first made this contact; the number of staff who acquiesced to the request for the waiver; the number of staff who refused the request for the waiver and the number of staff who have not responded to the request for the waiver. [52518/12]

Dessie Ellis

Question:

479. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form, the number of staff in their Department, or in bodies which fall under the remit of the Department, whose annual remuneration including salary, pension and benefits at 31 December 2011 fell into bands of €400,000 and above, between €300,000 to €399,999, between €200,000 to €299,999 and between €150,000 to €199,000; if he will provide a breakdown of the positions held by the staff in the relevant pay brackets [52554/12]

Dessie Ellis

Question:

480. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has made any contacts requesting staff whose annual salary is in excess of €200,000 in their Department or in any body under the remit of their Department, to waive 15% of their salary or such amount in excess of €200,000 whichever is the lesser; if he has, the date on which he/she first made this contact; the number of staff whose annual salaries were in excess of €200,000 at that date; the number of staff who acquiesced to the request for the waiver; the number of staff who refused the request for the waiver and the number of staff who have not responded to the request for the waiver. [52555/12]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 474, 475, 479 and 480 together.

The current salary of the Secretary General of my Department is €215,590 per annum. In line with the general Government policy of a €200,000 pay ceiling for senior positions across the Public Service, she has voluntarily waived salary in excess of the €200,000 pay ceiling under Section 483 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.

Pension contributions are deducted from salary and there are no other benefits paid. There are no other staff in my Department in receipt of an annual salary of more than €200,000 or in receipt of a salary between €150,000 and €199,000. Information on bodies under the aegis of my Department is set out in the following table.

Salary Range	Number	Position Held
€150,000 to €199,000	3	CEO, Local Government Management Agency Chairperson, An Bord Pleanála  Director General, Environmental Protection Agency
€200,000 to €299,999	n/a	n/a
€300,000 to €399,999	n/a	n/a
€400,000 +	n/a	n/a

Individuals are entitled to pensions in accordance with the rules of their organisation’s pension scheme. In general, pension entitlements are based on final salary and length of service, including added years where appropriate, capped at 40 years.