Following recommendations made by the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector, schemes of performance-related awards were formerly applicable to the grades ofDeputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary in the civil service. Payments were last made in 2008 in respect of the year 2007. Information on these payments is available in the Report of the Committee for Performance Awards which oversaw the scheme. The report is available on the website of my Department — www.finance.gov.ie Following my announcement on 5 February 2009 this award scheme has been terminated. No payments were made in respect of 2008 or subsequent years. Bonus payments have not been made to other staff of my Department.
In a comprehensive reply to a previous Parliamentary Question reference was made to special service payments and seniority allowances, averaging in the region of €2,000, made to some staff in the grades of Principal and Assistant Principal. While there were some suggestions that these were bonuses, the payments in question were made under the provision in the Agreement "Programme for Competitiveness and Work" whereby 1% of the payroll of the grades concerned was made available through local negotiation. Most Departments opted to use his provision in a manner which incorporated the payments into their payroll. In the Department of Finance, the amount available was used for special service payments and seniority payments for some staff. As indicated by the Taoiseach on 15 December last, these payments are not bonuses.