Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties and lack of clarity a company (details supplied) is having regarding the way the pension levy is to be deducted from staff; and if he will ensure clear guidelines forthwith to allow such providers plan their services and operate their payroll system in a satisfactory manner. [18397/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Discussions were held with Finance Officers of Departments to ensure that payroll arrangements were put in place to enable the pension-related deduction to be applied from 1 March 2009, and my Department has issued a set of frequently asked questions which is available on the Department of Finance website. The Secretary General, Public Service Management and Development, has written to all Heads of Departments and Offices to ask them to ensure that the payroll arrangements are put in place in Departments and in the bodies under their aegis where public service pension schemes are in place.

Regulations are in preparation in my Department on foot of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. These regulations will provide detailed instructions on operating and accounting for the pension-related deduction. Parent Departments will have the responsibility to bring these regulations to the attention of the bodies under their aegis. In the meantime, interim guidance on bringing deductions to account has issued to Departments providing them with the necessary information, which was also to be brought to the attention of the bodies under their aegis. In the case of the company mentioned by the Deputy, the detailed implementation of these procedures in the health sector is a matter, in the first instance, for the Health Service Executive.