Department rehires 59 veterinary staff at a cost of more than €850k

The Department of Agriculture has rehired 59 retired veterinary staff at a cost of over €850,000 in the past two years, it has emerged.

The staff have been hired as temporary veterinary inspectors on short-term contracts for what the department described as “meat inspection duties”.

According to information supplied to Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher in answer to parliamentary questions, all but a few government departments have rehired former staff who have retired.

Still in Agriculture, a retired assistant secretary general has been rehired on part-time contract since Oct 2010. So far that has cost the department €120,860. The contract is due to expire in Oct 2012. A “superintending senior research officer” and five senior research officers have been re-hired on contract for a “limited period”. The cost so far is €70,704.

The other department which has spent a significant amount is Social Protection. There, a chief medical adviser has been “retained” on a temporary contract on salary of up to €102,152. Also under that department, the Pensions Board hired two former gardaí at salary scales of up to €80,678 in one case.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has rehired seven staff at a combined cost of €181,497.

Elsewhere:

* Justice: Governor in the Prison Service rehired on fixed term contract “to meet pressing operational and transformation” requirements in the service. Cost so far €22,580.

* Enterprise, Jobs, and Innovation: Six former staff rehired including two former public servants to act as civilian drivers. Both are paid €631.75 per week.

* Arts and Heritage: Retired teacher who works as a special adviser paid €38,216. Údarás na Gaeltachta rehired an interim chief executive on four-month contract which ended in April at cost of €20,916, and a solicitor on a six-month contract ending in August at cost of €23,663.