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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 31 Mar 1998

Vol. 489 No. 3

Written Answers. - Ministerial Staff.

Sean Fleming

Ceist:

62 Mr. Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will give details of all severance payments, statutory redundancy payments, payments for untaken leave and minimum notice payments made to all ministerial personal staff, programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers arising from the change of Government in 1997. [7923/98]

Sean Fleming

Ceist:

63 Mr. Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of days of untaken leave for all ministerial personal staff, programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers arising from the change of Government in 1997; the contractual obligations on these staff for the keeping of leave sheets; if leave sheets were kept in accordance with their contracts; if the staff complied with the usual Civil Service conditions regarding the granting of annual leave and the making of returns of annual leave taken; and, if not, the way in which untaken leave was verified in each case. [7937/98]

Sean Fleming

Ceist:

64 Mr. Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she will give details of all severance payments, statutory redundancy payments, payments for untaken leave and minimum notice payments made to any ministerial programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers who resigned before the change of Government in 1997; if these payments were provided for in their contracts or were legally claimable; and, if not, the reasons the payments were made. [7951/98]

Sean Fleming

Ceist:

65 Mr. Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the Ministerial programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers, if any, who received severance, statutory redundancy, untaken leave or minimum notice payments in 1994 arising from the change of Government; and if they also received similar payments in 1997 arising either from their resignation or from the change of Government. [7965/98]

I propose taking Questions Nos. 62, 63, 64, and 65 together.

The following tables set out details of the payments made in respect of severance, statutory redundancy, minimum notice and untaken annual leave to programme managers, special advisers, personal assistants, personal secretaries and civilian drivers in the former Department of Enterprise and Employment following the change of Government in 1997.

Former Minister for Enterprise and Employment:

Title

Severance Payment

Statutory Redundancy

Minimum Notice

Untaken Annual Leave (Days)

Payment for Untaken Annual Leave

£

£

£

£

Special Adviser

4,336

Nil

499

201/2

1,461

Programme Manager

8,127

600

3,490

151/2

1,933

Former Minister for State for Commerce, Science and Technology:

Title

Severance Payment

Statutory Redundancy

Minimum Notice

Untaken Annual Leave (Days)

Payment for Untaken Annual Leave

£

£

£

£

Special Adviser

6,248

900

1,302

60

5,583

Programme Manager

Nil

Nil

938

31

3,423

Former Minister of State for Labour Affairs:

Title

Severance Payment

Statutory Redundancy

Minimum Notice

Untaken Annual Leave (Days)

Payment for Untaken Annual Leave

£

£

£

£

Special Adviser

3,502

Nil

403

Nil

Nil

Personal Secretary

2,167

Nil

498

3

214

Civilian Driver

4,645

1,315

526

45

2,366

Civilian Driver

4,628

1,315

526

45

2,366

The contracts for such staff provide details of their respective annual leave allowances. The annual leave allowance is subject to the usual conditions which apply to the civil service regarding the granting of annual leave. Requests for annual leave were made by contract staff to the Minister and-or private secretary as appropriate. Payment in respect of untaken annual leave was calculated by reference to returns being submitted to the Department's personnel unit immediately prior to the change of Government.
None of those named above who received payments at the time of the change of Government in 1997 had received payments at the time of the previous change of Government in 1994.
The conditions governing termination-severance payments to former personal staff of Ministers and Ministers of State are not set out comprehensively in the conditions of service of such staff.
Two Government decisons in 1982 and 1987 provided for the payment of severance to personal staff of Ministers and Minister of State who had no jobs when their employment terminated. The conditions were enhanced in 1994 (following a Labour Court recommendation in relation to secretarial assistants) to provide for the greater of two months' pay or four weeks' pay for each year of service.
Only one individual, who was serving as special adviser to the then Minister of State with responsibility for Labour Affairs resigned prior to the change of Government in 1997.
In the term of the last Government, negotiations were held with or on behalf of certain personal staff which resulted in the arrangements being applied to some staff where other circumstances applied. In the case of this individual, a case for the application of similar terms was accepted, I understand, on the basis that she was entitled to continue working under her existing contract as special adviser to the former Minister of State with responsibility for Labour Affairs, until such time as she had to be nominated to the returning officer as a candidate in the 1997 Dáil election. In fact, the adviser resigned her position on 16 February 1997 and was paid a severance payment of £5,536.
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