Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 106: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs if any employee at senior management level of any State body or organisation under the auspices of his Department has received any bonus payment in the past 12 months; if so, the amounts received and the reasons for same; the person who made the decision to grant this payment and the reason for same; if this matter was referred to him or if he was informed of the matter; if so, the views he expressed; the response, if any, from the body concerned; the subsequent decision taken by such body; the rank of the recipient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46579/10]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 108: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs if any civil servant in his Department has received a bonus payment in the past 12 months; if so the amount received; the reason given for such payment; who made the decision to grant same; the rank or grade of the recipient; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46659/10]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 and 108 together.

No civil servant in my Department has received a bonus payment in the past 12 months. With regard to State bodies/agencies funded from my Department's Vote Group, I am advised that a single instance has occurred across the range of those bodies where a bonus was paid to an employee within the past twelve months.

The case in question, which was in respect of performance in 2007, related to the Chief Executive Officer of Waterways Ireland. Payment in this case, which amounted to £8,500 (€9,628), was made in February 2010 and was subject to normal taxation and other deductions.

As Waterways Ireland is a North South Implementation Body, the payment was made in accordance with the CEO performance pay (bonus) regime operating in respect of 2007 on foot of a North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) decision in relation to the remuneration and other conditions of service applicable to Chief Executive Officers of the North South Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland. As Waterways Ireland has no board, the payment was approved, in line with that NSMC decision, at senior management level within the two sponsoring Departments for Waterways Ireland, i.e., the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland and my own Department. I, as Minister, did not have a role in the matter.

While the bonus in this case related to performance in 20007, I should point out that NSMC noted, at its institutional meeting in November 2009, that both Finance Ministers endorsed in principle that senior officials in the wider public sector in the two jurisdictions should not be awarded performance bonuses with effect from and in respect of the 2008/2009 reporting year and that this should apply to Chief Executive Officers of the North South Implementation Bodies.