Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

-----states that the Minister, if in his discretion so thinks proper, can grant to the civil servant a special severance gratuity not exceeding one half of the annual salary of the office of the civil servant. That severance gratuity payment can only be paid on the Minister's say so. I take it from the Minister's response to my question that he made no effort t rescind that payment to Mr. McCarthy.

Section 6 of the same legislation, which I am sure the Minister has before him, refers to additional years. Mr. McCarthy received his full pension at the age of 57 years and there was no actuarial reduction despite his not reaching the standard pension entitlement age.

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