In attempting to establish the monetary value of each of the allowances prioritised for elimination by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, The Irish Times contacted each of the relevant Government departments. The following figures have been gleaned from those communications or from written answers to parliamentary questions:
Allowances to be prioritised for early elimination
AGRICULTURE
Agriculture
Specified Pathogen Free Unit and additional laboratory related duties allowance (Head Laboratory Attendant, Laboratory Allowance)
Shredding allowance (Laboratory Attendants) - €19.85 per week
Storekeeper allowance – pre Jan '11 €12.60 per week
Commuted travel allowance
Blood Storage equipment allowance
Cross compliance allowance
Milk Agency
Milk Agency – Receptionist
The Department of Agriculture said it could not furnish the monetary value of most of the above allowances because the officials dealing with the matter were unavailable today.
Teagasc
Gaeltacht allowance – €7,263
Accommodation allowance - €1,081
Chef's allowance - €1,661
ARTS, HERITAGE & GAELTACHT
Irish Museum of Modern Art
Supervisor Higher Duty (Public Affairs Office) - €4,367.20
Supervisor Higher Duty – Six staff members receive this allowance as follows: One receives €1,122; one receives €5,616; and an allowance of approximately €7,000 is paid between four members of staff.
CSO
Passenger card inquiry allowance - €12.62 per week
Bus allowance - €4.40 per day
Travel allowance - €3.15 per journey
CHIEF STATE SOLICITOR'S OFFICE
Assistant Chief State Solicitor - €5,617.16 per annum
DEFENCE
Election gratuity allowance - €201.70
Search and rescue allowance - €85.57 - €89.83 daily rate
Civilian clothing allowance - €1.33 daily rate
Entertainment allowance – Paid to officers for out of pocket expenses incurred overseas
Principal military appointments entertainment allowance – Paid to senior officers entertaining dignitaries and guests
Ration allowance cadets – Allowance in lieu of rations
Underwear and night attire for female personnel - €27.40 per annum
Chaplain's housekeeper allowance - €1,868 per annum with an extra €842 where an assistant is also required
Travel warrants
Border duty - €96.23 to €111.97 per week
EDUCATION
Education supplemental
Uniform allowance – Caretaker: €483.30; Cleaner: €120
Shoe allowance - €80.50
Clothing allowance - €414 (average)
Clothing and footwear allowance – €806
Stock taking allowance - €868
Telephone allowance - €285
July provision scheme preparatory - €1,401
Fetac
Project office allowance - €4,029
Council minute secretary – no longer paid
Postprimary
Allowance for Principals who act as Secretary to Board of Management - €532 - €1,572 per annum
VECs
Allowance in respect of duties as transport liaison officer – no longer paid
Allowance in respect of duties as Secretary to the Board of Management of an IOT - €3,562
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
A dual allowance is "paid for the carrying out of the duties of two posts/additional duties over and above those comprehended by the substantive post", the Department said.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS and TRADE
Disturbance – Covered by 28 night's subsistence at the Dublin rate for the officer and 50 per cent for returning dependents to assist in meeting costs of reintegration.
HEALTH
HSE
Island inducement allowance - €1,766 per annum January 2010; €1,589 January 2011
Cardiac allowance - €16.89 per week
Second opinion - €500
Consultants continuing medical education allowance - €3,000
GAELTACHT
Cannot exceed 7.5 per cent of basic salary
Travel allowance for non-nursing personnel €26.32 per week
Coordination and overseeing of undergraduate student therapists during clinical placements €230 per annum
SHANNON DEVELOPMENT
Travel allowance
Special allowance
A spokeswoman for Shannon Development said: "The total of these two allowances represents just over 0.5% of Shannon Development's total staff costs." Shannon Development's staff costs for 2011 were €13.8 million.
GARDA
Clerical allowance - €4,781.35 per annum
Clerical/Temp allowance - €4,781.35 per annum
Gaeltacht allowance – 7.5 per cent of salary
Promotion exam grant - €202.47
Transport allowance - €507.30
Change management - €6,239.60
Exam bonus inspector - €665.00
Transport temporary - €507.30
Bicycle allowance - €2.77 per week
Aran Island - €1,463
PRISON SERVICE
Industrial supervisor (kitchen and baker) duty allowance - €5,760 to €6,064
Tuck shop - €2,659 to €2,801
Court escort - €1,488 per escort
Clerk to the prison visiting committee - €11,500
Locking allowance - €3,106
Clerk to the Sentence Review Committee - €771
Clerk to the Security Committee - €554
The abolition of six different clothing allowances would, according to the Prison Service's business case proposal to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, result in "To be verified – not more than €130,000."
OPW
The Office of Public Works did not reveal the monetary value of six different committee allowances proposed for abolition.
STATE INDUSTRIALS
Uniform allowance
Senior Foreman allowance
The above allowances refer broadly to various grades across a number of different departments.
STATE LABORATORY
Meat processing (60 per cent post mortem allowance ppc) - €46.74 per week
Meat processing (0.5 of above rate modified) €22.20 per week
The combined annual total for the above allowances is €3,585
TAOISEACH
Clothing allowance - €444 per year
ROAD SAFETY AUTHORITY
Bus allowance – Three Dublin-based service officers receive €1,760 per annum
Compiled by DAN GRIFFIN