Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Finance the bonuses awarded by his Department to staff members for the years 2005, 2006 and 2007; the number and proportion of staff in receipt of bonuses for each of those years; the average bonus paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32001/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The following are the details of bonus payments in my Department.

Following recommendations made by the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector, schemes of performance-related awards were introduced for the levels of Deputy Secretary and Assistant Secretary in the civil service, as well as for the Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner ranks in the Garda Síochána and the ranks of Brigadier General and Major General in the Defence Forces. The schemes of awards are based on performance by reference to demanding targets. The pool for performance awards is 10% of the pay bill for the group concerned. Within that overall limit individuals can receive payments of up to 20% of pay.

Decisions on awards are made by the Committee for Performance Awards (CPA), which includes a majority of private sector members. The main roles of the Committee are to monitor the application of the scheme of performance-related awards and to bring independent judgement to bear in approving objectives for the persons covered by the scheme and in approving recommendations for awards. Details of the procedures, the numbers covered by the schemes, the range of awards and the total amounts paid in Departments are outlined in the annual reports of the Committee (available on the website www.finance.gov.ie). The Committee does not identify the amount paid to individuals as this is regarded as personal information.

Principals and Assistant Principals have a separate scheme which arises as a result of the restructuring agreement for these grades under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work. It provides that 1% of payroll for these grades be made available in the form of Special Service Payments, for which staff are invited to apply, based on the following criteria:

— contribution by the individual to the work of the Department in his/her job;

— special demands of the job;

— experience brought to the job.

In 1993, the then Minister for Finance sanctioned expenditure in respect of Merit Awards to individual staff members or groups of staff below Assistant Secretary level by way of recognition for exceptional performance of duty which was based on 0.1% of the salary allocation (as published in the Revised Estimates) in any one calendar year. This percentage was revised to 0.2% in 1998. An independent committee administers the Merit Awards scheme up to AO/HEO level; an Assistant Secretary group administers the Awards at Assistant Principal and Principal level. Nominees for the annual Merit Awards must, during the year, have demonstrated one or more of the following criteria:

— given an exceptional performance in some aspect of his/her work;

— demonstrated unusual commitment and dedication to some aspect of his/her work;

— made a notable contribution to the successful achievement of the section's targets.

Ex-gratia payments are made in a number of situations which are outside the remit of the schemes already mentioned.

Overall, 198 people (plus 19 groups) received bonus payments in 2005 — authorised staff numbers in the Department at end 2005 were 614.50; 250 people (plus 13 groups) received bonus payments in 2006 — staff numbers in the Department at end 2006 were 644.50; 237 people (plus 11 groups) received bonus payments in 2007 — staff numbers in the Department at end 2007 were 644.50.