Written answers

Tuesday, 19 January 2010

Department of Finance

Public Sector Remuneration

9:00 pm

Photo of James BannonJames Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 264: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of public servants who received sanction from him to receive fees on top of their normal salary for sitting on state boards, commissions or other such bodies in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 in each Department; the numbers in each grade who received permission; the number of applications that he rejected and the boards involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1234/10]

Photo of Brian Lenihan JnrBrian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The general policy is that public servants should not receive additional remuneration for undertaking other duties in the public service, such as acting as chairpersons or directors of State-sponsored bodies or serving on commissions or other such bodies. The principle, usually referred to as the "one person one salary" principle, or OPOS, was first enunciated by the review body on higher remuneration in the public sector in 1972, and it has been a feature of the public service since then.

The review body on higher remuneration in the public sector subsequently recommended that payment of fees could be sanctioned in exceptional circumstances. This policy has been implemented on the basis that each of the following conditions must be met:

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

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

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

4) that the approval of the Department of Finance for additional payments is required in each case,

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

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

Twenty one public servants received such a sanction in the years 2005 to 2009.

The personnel in question were five civil servants ranging in grade from clerical officer to assistant secretary, five employees of State bodies, four HSE staff, three local authority staff, two teachers and two lecturers.

The Boards in question were as follows:

Audit Committee of the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

Equality Authority

Campus Stadium Ireland

Combat Poverty Agency

Dormant Accounts Board

E.S.B. Industrial Council

Health Service Executive

Heritage Council

Health Information and Quality Authority

National Library of Ireland

National Museum of Ireland

National Treatment Purchase Fund

Pensions Board

Property Registration Authority

As written instructions are available on the limited circumstances in which a public servant may receive a fee and as oral advice in provided, as required, applications for payments of fees to public servants are made only where the Department concerned considers that all the necessary conditions have been fulfilled.

However, during the period in question, five applications which were made for an exception to the OPOS principle were rejected. The boards in question were the Property Registration Authority and the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority. There are many other cases where public servants serving on State boards do not receive a fee but no application for an exception was made.

Separate arrangements apply to the chief executive officers of State-sponsored bodies and are incorporated in the code of practice for the governance of State bodies which is available on the website of my Department - www.finance.gov.ie

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