Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if nurses have been included in the early retirement proposals introduced in the past two years; if further developments of such schemes for nursing are contemplated in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25929/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Incentivised Scheme of Early Retirement (ISER) in the public health sector, announced by the Minister for Finance in his Supplementary Budget Statement of 7 April 2009 is now closed.

As the Minister for Finance indicated in his Financial Statement on Supplementary Budget day, this is the only voluntary early retirement scheme that the Government intends to make available in the civil and public service. Any pre-existing early retirement scheme, such as the Pilot Early Retirement Scheme for Nurses and the Pre Retirement Initiative is therefore closed. Nurses, who met the eligibility criteria under ISER, had access to the scheme. All public health sector employees may still avail of the existing Cost Neutral Early Retirement Scheme (Department of Health and Children Circular 5/2005 refers).

The closing date for ISER in the public health sector has now passed and there are no plans to re-open it at the moment.