Departmental Circulars

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 January 2021

Thursday, 28 January 2021

Questions (71, 72)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

71. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 171 of 20 January 2021, his views on whether section 9(1)(a)(i) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 is the statutory provision which transferred the powers under section 17 of the 1956 Act to the Minister and which also transferred the powers relating to superannuation of members of staff of public service bodies; and if not, the statutory provisions of the Act which transferred the said respective powers. [4854/21]

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

72. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 171 of 20 January 2021, if he has exercised the powers relating to superannuation of members of staff of public service bodies under section 9(1)(a)(i) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 by way of administrative act including by the issue of or revocation of circulars; if so, the powers which permitted him to carry out and or revoke any such administrative act including any circular; and the details of all such administrative acts and circulars in relation to same. [4858/21]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 72 together.

Insofar as Section 17 of the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 conferred powers on the Minister for Finance relating to the superannuation, remuneration, appointment and terms and conditions of service of civil servants, those powers were transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform by Section 9(1)(a)(i) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011.

My Department (acting on my behalf, as appropriate) and I exercise powers in relation to pensions of the civil service and public service bodies on a day to day basis. Prior to the establishment of my Department, those powers were vested in the Department and Minister for Finance. Generally, the sources of those powers are specified in individual pieces of legislation.

Given the number and extent of decisions, administrative acts, etc. to which I, or my predecessors, have been party as Minister, or to which my Department has been party, since the establishment of my Department, I am not in a position to provide a comprehensive response regarding the details of all administrative acts covered by the question. However, should the Deputy wish to direct the question towards a specific matter, I will endeavour to ensure more detailed information is supplied.