Mr. Don Culliton:

We are constrained by the superannuation rules that apply to the Civil Service generally and to the Prison Service in particular. I understand the point the Chairman is making but we can only apply the superannuation arrangements that are in place at this point in time. They provide that someone who is injured in the course of his or her duties can have access to enhanced pension arrangements, unlike someone who retires because of other medical conditions. They are the arrangements with which we must comply and we have no authority or derogation from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to introduce any extended arrangements, apart from the examination that was conducted some years ago about which the director general spoke, following which we received authority from the Department to introduce an enhanced sick leave arrangement.