Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the public service incentivised early retirement scheme was suspended by the Health Service Executive on 3 June 2009; the basis for this suspension by the HSE while the scheme remains open to other public servants; if the scheme will be restored by the HSE, if so, when; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26524/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement in the HSE which is provided for in Circular 8/2009 does not apply to grades exempted from the moratorium on recruitment and promotions under the 2009 Employment Control Framework for the Public Health Sector in order to meet the requirements of integrated health care delivery and, in particular, to address needs in the community in respect of care of the elderly and people with disabilities.

Members of all other grades who meet the eligibility criteria will have access to the ISER provided the grades/staff groups concerned cooperate with the requirements in relation to redeployment, mobility, skill mix and flexibility which are outlined in the employment control framework: this is designed to allow individuals to avail of the ISER while still protecting services. Because staff who retire under the scheme will not be replaced (save in very exceptional cases), employers must pay particular attention, when considering applications, to the scope that exists within the organisation for reorganising and restructuring work in order to minimise the impact on essential service delivery. Staff cooperation and flexibility in that regard is essential.

My Department has been informed by the HSE that the majority of health service trade unions have recently issued a directive instructing their members not to cooperate with redeployment and reassignment requests from management. This instruction severely restricts the ability of management to organise/restructure work practice and contravenes the qualification criteria for the scheme. However, applications can be made to the relevant employer in anticipation of a resolution of the industrial relations issues. Talks are continuing on the issue and it is hoped that a satisfactory resolution will be found.