Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation

I refer to the Department of Finance Circular 35/2007 (E157/19/2000), dated 02/11/2007 and to Section 5. (Superannuation), which sets out the arrangements for the payment of a lump sum to “an officer who retires between 14 September 2007 and the date on which the full rate recommended in Review Body Report No. 42 becomes payable”. The circular also stated “The death gratuity of an officer who dies in service between 14 September 2007 and the date on which the full recommended rate becomes payable should be calculated on the same basis.” The Appendix to the circular set out the “Revised non-PPC rates of salary” for the posts of Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General with effect from 14 September 2007. The subject matter of this FOI Request is the decision contained in Section 5. to apply the full rates of Report No. 42 awards to the lump sums of officers who retired between 14 September 2007 and the date on which the full rate recommended in Review Body Report No. 42 became payable (01/03/2009). I request the following records: (1) All records concerning the “decision” above, as contained in the circular, to include the formulation of any initial and subsequent proposal, advice to the government, submissions to and from members of government, internal departmental records, consultation processes, inter government department communications, external communications, legal advice and government decisions. Records to include formal and informal written communications, emails, file notes (handwritten or otherwise), records of telephone conversations, minutes of meetings and such records held on any other medium. I am unable to be precise about a period in respect of which records are sought as I have no way of knowing when the process leading to the “decision” commenced. However, the process may have commenced as soon as the Review Body delivered Report No. 42 to the government, perhaps earlier. Inter alia, records to include those specifically identified at (2) and (3) below. (2) Records pertaining to a precedent(s) for the “decision”. (3) Such records as may indicate or refer to the numbers and grades of civil service officers in (a) the Department of Finance and (b) across each government agency comprehended by the circular who availed of the enhanced retirement lump sum arrangement on foot of the “decision”.