Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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215. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding a voluntary redundancy scheme for local authorities for workers in the water area who have been informed that they will be working for Water Ireland and who wish to take up the voluntary redundancy scheme but as they reached 60 before 1 September 2013 have been informed that they are not eligible to apply for the scheme; if in view of the upcoming changes in their employment with the local authorities the 1 September 2013 date can re-examined in order to facilitate those who wish to apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43051/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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A voluntary redundancy scheme was introduced for local authorities in July 2013. The aim of the scheme is to achieve a permanent reduction in the workforce of local authorities in line with the recommendations of the work force study - Workforce Planning in the Local Government Sector, and the Action Programme for Effective Local Government - Putting People First. The scheme is funded by local authorities from existing resources.

The terms of the scheme were agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and are in line with the terms of the Collective Agreement on redundancy payments to Public Servants agreed between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Public Services Committee of ICTU in June 2012.

Under the terms of the Scheme an employee must be under preserved pension age in order to be eligible to apply. Employees over 60 years of age can only apply for the scheme if their preserved pension age is 65.

The application and closing dates for the scheme were arrived at after consultation with local authorities and there are no plans to amend these dates.