Departmental Staff Remuneration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 March 2013

Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Questions (235)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

235. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons on the payroll of his Department, both departmental employees and teachers in schools nationwide; the number of physical payslips that his Department processes each month; the percentage of these that are sent to payees in the post; the breakdown in the overall cost of physical payslips and postage per year for the years 2009 to 2012; if payees have the option of switching to online payslips; if he will implement online payslips in the near future; if he has considered the savings this would make; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12888/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

An average of 96,000 employees (comprising school employees/pensioners and Departmental staff) are paid on payrolls operated by my Department every fortnight. Approximately 229,000 payslips are generated every month, of which 98.95% are posted to payees. The overall cost of physical payslips and postage in the years 2009 to 2012 is as follows:

Year	Stationery Costs	Posting Costs
2009	€59,635	€1,246,735
2010	€67,015	€1,275,369
2011	€78,475	€1,276,477
2012	€51,417	€1,074,703

The option of online payslips is not yet available to school employees/pensioners. Online payslips for school employees/pensioners will be considered by officials in my Department, with a view to implementing a cost effective online payslip system by the end of 2014. In late 2012 my Department rolled out the online payslip facility on a pilot basis to Departmental staff in Tullamore. Since February 2013 this has been extended to all staff within the Department's main offices in Dublin, Tullamore and Athlone.

The issuing of physical payslips to staff within the Department will cease with effect from Friday 15th March. In the coming weeks this online facility will be extended to officers outside the Departments main offices who carry out field duties such as Inspectors and Psychologists; this will significantly reduce the percentage of Departmental staff currently receiving payslips by post.