Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 72: To ask the Minister for Finance the severance the sacked Junior Ministers are to be awarded. [17146/09]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 73: To ask the Minister for Finance the legal basis for the severance to Junior Ministers. [17147/09]

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 74: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason sacked Junior Ministers who still have a job receive this severance when ordinary workers will only receive one week's pay per year worked when they are made redundant. [17148/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 to 74, inclusive, together.

Section 10 of the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act 1992 provides for the payment of severance to Officeholders (Ministers, Minister of State etc.) who are members of the "new" Officeholders pension scheme from the day following that on which they cease to hold office. A person who ceases to hold office in order to take up a position to which he or she is appointed by the Government or for which he or she is nominated by the Government is not entitled to severance.

Severance is paid for a maximum of two years or for a period equivalent to that for which the person held office, if this is a lesser period. The severance is paid at a rate of 75% of the Officeholder's salary during the first six months, 50% of the salary during the next twelve months and 25% of salary during the last six months. A person who is entitled to receive an Officeholder's pension may switch to that pension at any time, but pension and severance are not payable during the same period.