Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of retired public servants who have been awarded temporary or term-time posts in her Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. [32336/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Eight retired former public servants were recruited on short term contracts in the Department from June 2010. These officers were employed on a part time basis as Appeals Officers and their contracts terminated at the end of December 2011. One of the Department’s Medical Assessors was retained beyond the normal retirement age on a temporary contract which ended in January 2012. The acting Deputy Chief Medical Advisor was retained beyond his normal retirement age on a temporary contract which ended in December 2012. The Chief Medical Advisor in the Department was also retained beyond his retirement date of February 2012 and is currently employed on a temporary contract. The Department held a competition to recruit a new Chief Medical officer in late 2013, however, no candidate was deemed suitable at interview.

The decision to re-employ or retain this small number of staff was taken due to their specific skills, the difficulty and long lead-in time for replacing such skills, and the critical importance of ensuring continuity and a high level of service to customers of the Department. As an exception to the current moratorium on recruitment, the Department has limited sanction to recruit temporary clerical officers to cover some critical staff absences, shorter working year leave, and to assist with the roll-out of the new Public Service Card. Between 2011 and to date in 2014, 3 Temporary Clerical Officers were recruited who were former civil servants. They were recruited on foot of open competitions run by the Public Appointments Service. Abatement of pension applies, if applicable, for the duration of all of these temporary contracts.