Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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313. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of retired public sector employees in his Department including bodies under its aegis who are in receipt of a public sector pension that have been re-employed either part-time or full-time, temporary or otherwise by the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28984/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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With the exception of my own private staff, employees in my Department, whether permanent or temporary, are recruited on foot of competitions administered by the Public Appointments Service. There are no age restrictions in place in relation to participation in these competitions and therefore some of the successful candidates may have previously worked in the civil or public service and may be in receipt of a pension at the time of appointment.

The manner in which records are maintained does not allow for the identification of the number of people who may previously have been in receipt of a civil/public service pension on appointment to my Department.

However, in the course of making assignments, the circumstances of each person are taken into account to determine the rate of salary and superannuation arrangements that will apply.

In the course of these considerations the question of whether abatement of an existing pension is required is taken into account. Currently three members of staff in the Department are having their pensions abated in this way.

As present, there are no employees working within the Agencies which are under the remit of my Department in receipt of a public sector pension.