Howlin unveils new civil-service pension terms for senior officers

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has announced new terms governing pensions and severance for top level civil servants.

Secretaries General currently have the option of retiring early with an immediate pension, added years, and severance pay. Those provisions are now being phased out.

The revised terms include putting a stop to any pension payments before the minimum pensionable age, preventing any years being added on, and abolishing severance payments in most cases.

A candidate could also be offered an alternative post if he or she has not reached 40 years service or the minimum pensionable age.

The new terms will apply to any Secretaries General appointed from now on. It is hoped the plan will result in substantial savings for the taxpayer.

Minister Brendan Howlin said a balance was needed to ensure the right people, "capable of taking on the complex challenges our country faces now and in the future", were in place.