Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if it is his objective to seek uniformity in the redundancy terms offered across the public service and the commercial semi-State sector; if he will provide any guidelines that have been issued to commercial State companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51497/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Government is committed to creating a leaner more efficient Public Service. To this end, the identification of staff surpluses is under way across the public service. Where surplus staff cannot be redeployed, exit mechanisms (including voluntary redundancy) will be employed. Final decisions on numbers reductions to be achieved in each sector will take account of the surpluses identified by Ministers in respect of their portfolios and of expected rates of retirements in those sectors, Departments and Offices over the next few years.

In the event of voluntary redundancy being introduced, the terms of the Collective agreement on redundancy payments to Public Servants would apply. These terms are similar to those offered in the recent past to staff in the HSE and Teagasc. In the event that a body in the commercial semi-State sector wishes to introduce a redundancy scheme, the prior sanction of my Department is required. Each application will be considered on its merits but in the context of the arrangements already agreed for the public service.