Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 346: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs the amount paid in bonuses to anyone under the jurisdiction of his Department for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37360/08]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs implements the following schemes involving awards to staff: the Scheme of Performance Related Pay Awards and the Exceptional Performance Awards Scheme. Scheme of Performance Related Pay Awards. The Scheme of Performance Related Pay Awards in the Civil Service applies to Deputy and Assistant Secretaries and equivalent grades. It does not apply to Secretaries General. The following table sets out the amounts paid during the years in question:

These payments were subject to tax and PRSI. The awards were made by the Committee for Performance Awards, chaired by the Secretary General for Public Service Management and Development in the Department of Finance, following recommendations by the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Payments made in each year related to officers' performance during the preceding calendar year.

Details of the operation of the Performance Related Pay Awards scheme are available in the reports of the Committee for Performance Awards for the years concerned, and can be accessed on the website of the Department of Finance at the following links: http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/civilservice/civilservice/CPA2005.pdf http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/publications/reports/CPArep2006.pdf http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/publications/reports/2008/cpareport07final.pdf

Exceptional Performance Awards

Under the Department of Foreign Affairs' Administrative Budget Agreement with the Department of Finance, a fund amounting to 0.2% of the Department's salaries budget is available each year to the Secretary General in respect of ex-gratia payments or other awards to individual staff members or groups of staff, by way of recognition of exceptional performance of duty. The following table sets out the amounts paid during the years in question:

This scheme is administered by a sub-group of the Department's Partnership Committee, which assesses nominations for merit awards and makes recommendations to the Secretary General of the Department. The objective of the scheme is to reward cases of genuinely exceptional performance by officers in grades up to and including Counsellor/Principal Officer level.

The Exceptional Performance fund also provides for officers in the Department with at least 25 years' experience to receive an award in recognition of their long service. This award comprises a gift of €250 along with a special commemorative coin. The following table sets out the amounts paid in respect of such long service awards during 2006 and 2007. Awards for 2008 have not yet been given.