Departmental Staff Rehiring

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 February 2013

Wednesday, 6 February 2013

Questions (140)

Eoghan Murphy

Question:

140. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are any retired public sector workers from his Department, or any other part of the public sector, currently on his Department's payroll, for example, for sitting on a committee or preparing a report, but not exclusively these two areas; the number on the payroll; the cost to his Department; the services being delivered for this money; and the way that the positions were originally advertised. [6264/13]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Retired public and civil servants are engaged from time to time by my Department in areas where specific expertise is required for a short fixed period, and these staff provide a level of knowledge, experience and background compatible with such requirements. 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, applies to payments as appropriate . The tasks carried out include time bound tasks or projects such as membership of expert groups, occasional service on interview boards, value for money reviews and process audits. 

There are currently 8 retired public servants working for my Department. The nature of the work involved, the costs and method of appointment is set out in the table below:

No.	Role	Cost	Method of Appointment
1	Assist Department in managing EU input at 27th Session of the Governing Council / Global nisterial Environment Forum of the United Nations Environment Programme	€14,080 #	Excluding Order (3 month contract)
1	Internal Audit Committee Member	€1,197 max annual fee	Secretary General Appointment
1	Services Indicators Independent Assessment Panel	€3,000 annual stipend	Department Appointment
1	National Traveller Accommodation C onsultative Committee Chair	€4,489 annual fee	Ministerial Appointment
1	National Directorate F or fire & Emergency - Management Board Chair	€9,450 annual fee	Ministerial Appointment
1	Examination of Final Accounts of Water Services Capital Projects	€24,442 *	Department Appointment
1	Examination of Final Accounts of Water Services Capital Projects	€24,103 *	Department Appointment
1	Process Auditor on Waterford Grouped Towns & Villages Sewerage Scheme	€3,851 *	Department Appointment

# Includes Travel and Subsistence cost.

* These officers work on a fee per day rate and these figures reflect full costs in 2012.

In addition to the above, there are a number of retired public and civil servants carrying out work for the Department from time to time on a pro bono basis.