Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the location and grade of all public servants within his Department or related agencies who while not having reached the minimum retirement age to avail of cost neutral early retirement will benefit from the provisions under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009; his plans to continue the service provided by each of the retiring staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10564/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to the situation whereby officials that retire on or before the 29th, February 2012 will have their pension entitlements calculated at the payscale in place on the 1st January 2010.

The tabular statement below gives details of the number of officials that are expected to retire from the Department by the 29th, February 2012 together with details of retirements from the bodies under the aegis of the Department.

Five officials will retire from the Department on ill health grounds and twelve will avail of cost neutral early retirement. The remainder are officials that are over sixty years of age.

In relation to bodies under the aegis of the Department all the retirements in relation to FAS are cost neutral. Two officials will retire from the State Examinations Commission and one will retire from the National Council for Special Education on cost neutral grounds as will the official referred to at the National Council for Curriculum & Assessment. The remaining staff listed in respect of the bodies will retire on age grounds.

Retirements at the administrative grade levels they are rather evenly spread across the grade structure and the Department will try to ensure that all essential services will continue to be carried on. In addition to this the Department will endeavour to reach the Employment Control Framework (E.C.F.) figure assigned to it by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (PER) for 2012.

The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

It has been agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (PER) that the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) can have a professional staffing cohort of 173 educational psychologists in 2012. Further recruitment at NEPS will take place throughout 2012 in order to replace any psychologists that retire or resign up to a maximum of 173 whole time equivalents.

Schools Inspectorate

The Department entered into discussions with PER to highlight the staffing situation at the Schools Inspectorate Division as a result of the large number of inspectors opting to retire early. Agreement was reached that key positions that were essential in order to have an effective School Inspectorate could be filled. Some of these were promotions to higher positions and in January 2012 the Department engaged the Public Appointments Service (PAS) to conduct recruitment competitions for primary and post primary inspectors.

The service was reconfigured into an eight rather than a ten region structure. Significant work practice changes have been introduced which has resulted in the organisation being able to maintain a significant level of intensive whole-school inspections despite falling staff numbers.

FAS

Sanction has been obtained from PER to fill the post of Assistant Director General. The Department is in discussions with PER in relation to filling posts equivalent to at Assistant Principal leve. The posts at higher Executive officer and Executive officer will be supressed and the duties associated with the positions will be reorganised.

FÁS

State Examinations Commission

Residential Institutions Redress Board

National Council for Curriculum & Assessment

National Council for Special Education