Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 314: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism the bonus or merit payments awarded to senior officials and staff each year since 2000, detailing the management and staff category; the purpose and the amount of the award and the highest award made and to whom. [28389/05]

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2002, Civil Service posts at the level of assistant secretary are covered by a revised scheme of performance related awards. The operation of the scheme is overseen by the committee for performance awards. The funding for such awards is based on 10% of the payroll for the posts covered by the scheme. Within the overall limit, payments of up to 20% can be made to individuals. The details of the procedures, the numbers covered by the scheme, the range of awards and the total amounts paid in Departments are outlined in the annual reports of the committee and are available on the website of the Department of Finance www.finance.gov.ie. The committee does not identify the amount paid to individuals as this is regarded as personal information.

My Department, under its administrative budget agreement with the Department of Finance, operates a merit award scheme for all staff up to and including the grade of principal officer. The maximum funding is subject to a ceiling of 0.2% of the annual payroll provision. The scheme was agreed through my Department's partnership process and awards are made on the basis of criteria, terms and conditions set out in the scheme. It provides for a minimum award of €750, gross, in the case of individuals and a minimum of €150, gross, in the case of members of teams.

The highest award made under the scheme was for €2,100, gross, in respect of a team of six people. A number of individuals have been awarded €1,000, gross, which is the highest such award made under the scheme.