Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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668. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department or the Higher Education Authority has given consideration to the introduction of either a voluntary redundancy scheme or early retirement scheme within the higher education institutions; if his Department has engaged in correspondence with either the Higher Education Authority or higher education institutions on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26541/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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There have been Redeployment Arrangements in place within the higher education institutions since 2014.My Department is authorised to approve applications for voluntary redundancy under the collective agreement on redundancy for public servants and have been doing so on an individual case by case basis following assessment.

My Department officials and the Higher Education Authority have commenced a process to look at possible voluntary redundancy arrangements or scheme for the technological sector.  

Where any redundancy proposal occurs, then employers must inform the External Staff Relations Section of the Department of Education and Skills as soon as possible to obtain sanction to offer redundancy terms to those staff affected (or their Union representatives). Employers may not process any redundancy terms without prior sanction in writing from the External Staff Relations Section of the Department of Education and Skills.