Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Taoiseach the cost of bonus payments made to staff in his Department for 2008; the amount set aside in his Department for bonus payments in 2009; if he will make a statement on the circumstances where a staff bonus will be paid in 2009. [4836/09]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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No bonus payments have been made to staff in my Department in respect of the year 2008. Civil service posts at the levels of Assistant Secretary and Deputy Secretary are covered by a scheme of performance related awards. Details of awards to individual officers under the performance related scheme are not disclosed on the basis that they are confidential to the officer concerned. However, during 2008, awards totalling €62,400 were made to 6 officers in my Department in respect of 2007. Details of the operation of the scheme are available in the report of the Committee for Performance Awards which can be accessed on the website of the Department of Finance (www.finance.gov.ie).

Following the recent announcement by the Minister for Finance relating to the discontinuation of this scheme, there is no specific provision for payment under this scheme for 2009.

In addition, a total of €13,648 was paid in 2008 in respect of this Department's Employee Recognition Awards Scheme in respect of exceptional performance in 2007 (€6,816 in individual awards to 6 staff and the remainder in team awards/cross divisional awards)