Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 273: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the severance packages for each retiring staff member in her Department over the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39542/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Severance provisions for staff are available in limited circumstances, and involve termination of employment for Ministerial personal staff on cessation of office of the Minister or a Minister of State. Severance is not payable to Ministerial personal staff who have been appointed by way of secondment from the civil service or some other form of leave of absence from other employments. As such, severance provisions apply only where Ministerial personal staff have no job to return to on cessation of office of the Minister or Minister of State. In accordance with Department of Finance guidelines severance payments of either 2 month's pay, or 4 weeks' pay per year of service apply depending on which is more favourable. These severance payments are in addition to any statutory entitlements under the Redundancy Payments Acts and the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts.

Over the past three years my Department has made severance payments in respect of seven Ministerial personal staff to a total value of €99,682. These ranged from a maximum payment of €24,927 to a minimum of €8,359 and an overall average of €14,240. Civil servants, on retirement, receive an entitlement under existing superannuation schemes which are not considered as severance packages.