Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 172: To ask the Taoiseach the severance packages for each retiring staff member in his Department over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39545/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not pay severance packages to retiring staff. Under the Superannuation Act, all Civil Servants retiring from my Department are entitled to an annual pension and lump sum. The pension arrangements including calculations and payment of same, are a matter for the Department of Finance.

Severance packages are made only to Ministerial personal staff whose employment is terminated as a result of the cessation of office of the Minister/Minister of State concerned and who have no jobs to which they are entitled to return. These are not regarded as retirements.

Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 173: To ask the Taoiseach the number of staff in the Office of the Attorney General with a breakdown of the number of barristers, solicitors and non-lawyers. [39550/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently 115 permanent staff working in the Office of the Attorney General, 35 are barristers and 12 are solicitors, 68 are not lawyers. They provide secretarial services, a Legal Library and a Registry which maintains legal files and tracks correspondence, as well as the usual range of administrative functions such as HR, IT, Finance and Corporate Services. These supports enable the legal professional staff to devote more time to the tasks for which they were recruited.

There are also 16 staff working on a contract basis. Of these, eight are conducting legal research and have law degrees. A further six are involved in the drafting of legislation and two have typing/administrative duties. The six people involved in drafting are from outside the State, so their legal qualifications tend to encompass both of the legal professions.