Written answers

Wednesday, 12 January 2011

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Departmental Bodies

2:30 pm

Photo of Liz McManusLiz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if a bonus was paid to any of the management in the Legal Aid Board in 2010; if there are plans for a bonus to be paid in 2011; the amount of bonus paid per manager; the total amount paid; if he will provide documentary evidence of the bonus paid or unpaid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48196/10]

Photo of Dermot AhernDermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The question of the payment of bonuses in the Legal Aid Board is a matter for the Board, which is statutorily independent of my Department.

I am advised that as the high level scheme of performance-related awards that applied to senior civil servants and Chief Executives of non-commercial State bodies such as the Legal Aid Board has been discontinued, no bonuses have been paid by the Legal Aid Board under this scheme in 2010 nor will any be paid in 2011. I understand, however, that ex-gratia payments were recently made to two officers in the Legal Aid Board, amounting to €6,000 and €3,000 respectively. In both cases, the awards related to the explicit assignment of additional duties and workload. In the first case, the officer concerned developed a new legal case management system that will greatly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Board. Much of the work was completed in the officer's own time and without any outside consultancy support. In the second case, the officer was given responsibility for driving forward new service delivery initiatives, which freed up senior management to focus on the transfer of Criminal Legal Aid cases to the Board.

I am assured by the Board that the making of these awards was exceptional and that the value to the Board of the additional work undertaken by the officers concerned, is a multiple of the cost of the awards.

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