Deadline for early retirement scheme
31 January 2012
Irish Times
Today is the final day for applications for the Government’s early retirement scheme for public servants before new pension changes come into effect at the end of February.
According to the Department of Public Expenditure, more than 7,000 public sector workers have already applied for retirement.
However, Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin has said up to 9,000 may go by the end of 2012.
The mass exodus is part of the Coalition’s ambitious plan to cut 27,500 staff from the public sector between 2011 and 2015.
By 2015, that quantum would, together with the levy, accrue a saving of €3.5 billion.
As of last week, the figures suggested more than 2,000 application have been received from the education sector, 1,500 of whom are teachers.
In the Civil Service, the number was about 794; local authorities, 730; the Defence Forces, 192 and Garda, 297.
About 3,500 people are expected to leave the health service which is the biggest public sector employer.
Management across a range sectors will this evening know the total numbers leaving their areas, and will have to begin formalising contingency plans for dealing with less staff numbers.
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has already indicated that teachers involved with examination classes, and retiring between the end of last year and next month, could continue on the payroll up to the conclusion of the examinations.
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