Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 484: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount that was granted in pensions in each of the past five years to individuals who retired early from his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35640/08]

Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 485: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount that was spent in each of the past five years on staff who replaced those who took early retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35655/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 493: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of staff within his Department who have availed of early retirement schemes in each of the past three years; the breakdown of such by the grade and age of the staff who availed of the schemes; the breakdown of the reason for granting early retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35828/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 484, 485 and 493 together.

The total pension cost in respect to staff who retired early from the Department in the period 2003 to 2007 is set out in the following table:

All staff with one exception were subsequently replaced. Replacement costs for these staff are not readily available due to time delays in replacing staff, replacement staff being on different incremental points etc.

Thirteen staff have availed of early retirement schemes in the past three years. They ranged across the grades, clerical to principal officer including inspector grades. Two people were in their forties and the remainder in their fifties. The grounds of retirement included ill health and cost neutral early retirement.

The salary scales for all administrative and professional and technical grades are available on the Department of Finance website (www.finance.gov.ie).