Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 26 Mar 1996

Vol. 463 No. 3

Written Answers. - Employment of Pensioners.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

128 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health the number of persons over the retirement age of 65 years that were employed by each of the eight regional health boards on either a contract or occasional basis in such positions as attendant, security guard or driver; and the policy of the health boards in employing pensioners in these positions in the last year for which records are available. [6380/96]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): The management of health services, including the employment of staff, is a matter, in the first instance, for each health agency.

Of the attendants, security guards and drivers currently employed by the eight health boards on a contract or occasional basis, for whom dates of birth are available, only one driver, employed by the Eastern Health Board is over the age of 65 years.

It is a condition of service that all officer grades retire at 65. It is general health board policy that all non-officer grades now recruited should also retire at the age of 65 years. In some cases, however, it has proven necessary to retain the services of staff beyond the age of 65 to ensure continuity of service provision.