Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

We oppose the amendment on the grounds that, as we have discussed at committee level, it is a matter for the Minister with the consent of the Minister for Finance to determine the terms and conditions of the director general of FÁS and to determine the mechanism for determining the remuneration of FÁS employees. The Minister is responsible to the Oireachtas in this matter.

The issue of severance packages to chief executive officers is a more general one. The Government is reviewing the issue of severance and retirement packages as part of a broader examination that is under way following the publication of the Green Paper on pensions. The Green Paper addressed, among other options, items that might be considered for future pensions development. Our objective is to put in place a pensions system that is financially, economically and socially sustainable. The issue of public service pensions is addressed in Chapter 13 of the Green Paper. We are at an advanced stage in the development of this matter and hope to be able to bring forward proposals in the near future.