Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 220: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of the over 9,000 persons from the public service who have retired over the past six months with high tax-free lump sum payments in many cases and substantial pensions that have been re-hired on contract; if these person's are now being paid on the double by the State, that is, their pension and the salary they are receiving under the new contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33072/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Three officers who have retired from my Department in the last 6 months have been rehired on a contract basis for a limited period; two were hired directly by my Department on a contract for services basis, the contracts will expire in August and September 2012. The third person was hired through the Public Appointments Service, on a fixed term contract of 10 weeks.

Normal pension abatement rules are being applied, i.e. the pension is, where necessary, abated (i.e. reduced) during the period of retention to ensure that the amount of the pension, together with the officer's pay in respect of that period, does not exceed the remuneration which the officer would have received if, during that period, s/he had remained in the post which s/he held on the last day of reckonable service.