Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the details of the finalised incentivised retirement scheme as it applies to staff in the Health Service Executive and specifically to staff in voluntary hospitals; the eligibility criteria for the scheme; and if there are any restrictions to the scheme. [45692/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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In his Supplementary Budget Statement of 7 April 2009, the Minister for Finance announced that he would make available three schemes to reduce the number of public sector employees in the wider public sector , one of which was the Incentivised Scheme for Early Retirement. My Department issued a circular (8/2009) on 15 May 2009 to HSE and voluntary hospitals to give effect to this measure.

The scheme did 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 had access to this scheme 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 this scheme while still protecting services. Because staff who avail of 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 was essential.

My Department was informed that the health service trade unions issued a directive instructing their members not to cooperate with redeployment and reassignment requests from management. The unions have stated their opposition to the moratorium on recruitment and promotions as set out in 2009 Employment Control Framework for the Public Health Sector, referred to above. This instruction from the unions severely restricts the ability of management to organise/restructure work practice and contravenes the qualification criteria for these schemes. As a result, the HSE suspended all three schemes in June but continued to accept applications, up to the closing date of 23 October 2009.