Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will happily answer that. In relation to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department did not seek sanction from the Department in respect of this position. My Department has a pay and staffing sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that did not require additional approval for this post. Having said that, my Department did make contact - I think it was the day before the Cabinet meeting - to seek clarification on a pension issue, as far as I am aware. I will ask my current Secretary General, Joe Hackett, if he would like to comment briefly on that issue.