State rehires dozens of retired public servants

DOZENS OF retired public servants have been rehired by Government departments and State agencies despite leaving with substantial pensions and lump sums.

The appointments include crucial frontline jobs where replacements have not been recruited, lucrative positions on key committees and unremunerated posts on State boards, according to information provided by Ministers.

A number of former public servants are working as civilian drivers for Ministers.

With almost 8,000 public servants due to take early retirement by the end of the month, the Government’s strategy on cutting staff has come under fire. This week it was forced to rehire Director of Corporate Enforcement Paul Appleby on a temporary basis after he retires this month in order to complete the investigation into the former Anglo Irish Bank.

Information provided by Ministers to Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald shows that the Appleby case is not an isolated one.

The Department of Transport has rehired seven retired civil servants. They include five radio officers filling essential frontline duties in the Coast Guard until new people are recruited, an aeronautical engineer with the Air Accident Investigation Unit, and a retired official engaged to carry out evaluation work.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said 26 former public servants had been re-engaged by his department or its agencies “because of their particular knowledge and expertise in specific areas”.

In his role as Minister for Defence, Mr Shatter said his department was employing two retired public servants to act as civilian drivers for Minister of State Paul Kehoe.

Eleven retired officials in receipt of pensions were rehired by the Department of Environment in 2010 at a total cost of €55,000, according to Minister Phil Hogan. Another two officials have been rehired by State agencies under the aegis of the department.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore said his department was employing 10 retired public servants in a variety of roles. These included Ireland’s chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) this year, the examination of departmental files before they are placed in the National Archives, the provision of services to the State’s aid programme and to act as a passport appeals officer.

Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton said eight retired public servants had been recruited on short-term contracts. They were recruited from June 2010, and their contracts terminated at the end of December 2011. In addition, the Pensions Board has recently recruited two ex-gardaí on three-year contracts. Ms Burton said this would “enhance the investigative skills available within the Pensions Board”.

Minister for Enterprise Richard Bruton said two former public servants had been appointed to act as civilian drivers in his department. Three former civil servants have also been rehired: a former assistant secretary appointed to the advisory board of the National Employment Rights Authority; a former secretary general who is chair of the department’s audit committee; and a former principal who is the Government representative on the board of the European Chemical Agency in Finland.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said one person who retired from the Defence Forces was employed in an “unestablished position” by his department.

The Department of Agriculture has re-engaged two public servants on a contract basis, while one official is back working at the Department of Communications.

Ms McDonald last night called for an explanation for the rehiring.

“There has to be a compelling rationale for bringing back people, many of whom left on good pensions.”