Niall Collins (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 720: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if civil servants from his Department who are members of boards of agencies, including commercial and non-commercial State bodies, or who hold other positions with these agencies under the aegis of his Department, receive a fee, salary or remuneration and expenses for holding such a position or positions; if this is surrendered to his Department as their direct employer; his policy in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31232/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that in accordance with Department of Finance guidelines, Civil Servants, as a general rule, should not receive additional remuneration for undertaking other duties in the public service such as serving as members of boards of agencies. However, the guidelines also stipulate that additional payments may be permitted for undertaking other work, subject to Department of Finance sanction in each case, if each of the following conditions is met:

1) that the duties involved are neither a part nor an extension of the officer's normal duties, and

2) that a rigid insistence on the principle of one person-one salary would deny scarce skills to the State, and

3) that payment is permitted for one additional appointment only, and

4) that in no case should payment exceed the normal fee for the activity concerned, and

5) that the duration of such payment should be limited to one term or 5 years whichever is greater.

Officials of my Department are members of the following boards for which they receive remuneration:

The Parole Board (1 member)

The Legal Aid Board (1 member)

Courts Service Board (1 member)

All fees and expenses are paid in accordance with regulations. The Deputy should also note that there are other officials who are members of boards/agencies and not in receipt of remuneration.