Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 160: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount paid in bonuses to county and city managers in the years since the bonus payments were introduced; the criteria for awarding these bonuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35800/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Details of awards made to County and City managers under the Performance Awards Scheme for the Local Government Sector are contained in the annual reports of the Committee for Performance Awards (CPA) which are available in the Oireachtas Library. Awards are defined in terms of their distribution as a percentage of pay, the range of monetary values, and the number of recipients.

The scheme was introduced in 2003, with the pool for performance awards set at 10% of the pay bill for the group concerned and with individual participants eligible to receive payments of up to 20% of pay. Awards were made each year from 2003 to 2007. No performance awards have been made in respect of 2008. The scheme for the Local Government Sector is currently suspended.

Awards of 15% to 20% have only been made in the most exceptional situations where performance has surpassed all reasonable expectations and has resulted in the achievement of a major goal of the local authority. Awards of more than 10% and up to 15% have only been made where performance has substantially exceeded the targets defined. Awards of more than 5% and up to 10% have been made where stretched targets have been fully met or exceeded (but not to a major degree). Awards of 0% to 5% have been made where stretched targets have not been fully met.

Each local authority manager who has participated in the Performance Award Scheme has submitted a statement of objectives to the CPA for approval. Awards have been determined by the CPA, based on achievement in the relevant year for the approved objectives.