Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
651. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of exit and or severance and or redundancy packages granted by his Department, and bodies under his aegis and of bodies he funds in full or in part, of €100,000 and above but less that €200,000, by the amount and by each body in each of the years 2019 to 2023 and to date in 2024. [12353/24]
View answerExit packages are not something which have been paid to serving civil servants in my Department from 2019 to date. Any staff member who retired from my Department during this period received pensions and lump sum payments in line with the terms and conditions of the pensions schemes of which they were members.
In relation to the State bodies under the aegis of my Department, all severance scheme proposals (voluntary redundancy and voluntary early retirement schemes) are now required to be submitted to both my Department and subsequently to the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform for Ministerial approval prior to the circulation of terms to staff or representatives following the update of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies in June 2021. The Code also requires that State bodies, in their financial statements, ‘should disclose details of payments and agreements with an aggregate value in excess of €10,000 made in the reporting period. This includes severance/ termination payments, granting of added years for pension purposes or early retirement without normal actuarial reductions’.
During the period in question, there was one severance payment made in respect of An Bord Pleanála (ABP). The severance terms were in compliance with the relevant circular (i.e. DPENDR Circular 09/2018) and were sanctioned by DPENDR.
ABP are currently finalising their 2023 accounts and annual report which are due for submission by 30 June 2024.
Any disclosures required to be made for the year 2023 will be made within that reporting framework in the first instance and after the 2023 accounts have been audited and certified by the Auditor and Comptroller General.
In respect of Ervia-GNI, in accordance with section 16 of the Gas Act 1976 (as amended), the remuneration and allowances for expenses payable to Ervia's staff and Gas Networks Ireland's staff is an operational matter for Ervia and Gas Networks Ireland, respectively, with the exception of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
In respect of Uisce Éireann, in accordance with section 27 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 (as amended), the remuneration and allowances for expenses payable to Uisce Éireann's staff is an operational matter for Uisce Éireann, with the exception of the Chief Executive Officer.
In respect of the other bodies under the aegis of my Department, it is my understanding that there were no other severance and or redundancy packages during the period in question.
