Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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147. To ask the Minister for Social Protection to set out the circumstances under which staff in her Department are entitled to retire on enhanced retirement packages; the number of staff from her Department who retired each year since 2010; the number of these staff in each year who received enhanced retirement packages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39997/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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All retirement benefits for staff retiring from the Department are awarded strictly in accordance with the rules of the Superannuation Schemes. No enhanced retirement packages are provided.

In the case of retirement on grounds of ill health, added years may be awarded in accordance with the rules of the Superannuation Schemes as set out in centralised circulars, on receipt of a recommendation from the Chief Medical Officer for the Civil Service that the staff member concerned is incapable, on medical grounds, of regular and effective service and that this medical incapacity is likely to be permanent.

Also, the award of added years can occur in cases where a staff member, within a professional grade, (e.g. accountants) is entitled to “professional added years”. These are awarded strictly in accordance with the rules of the Superannuation Schemes, as set out in centralised Circulars.

The number of retirements, ill health retirements and the number of cases where professional added years were awarded in the Department since 2010 are set out in the following table: