24 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Finance the total cost of the redundancy package for civil servants in each year from 1987 to date; and if he will outline (1) the ongoing additional superannuation costs arising from the scheme and (2) the arrangements, if any, which have been made to repay the Central Bank in respect of money advanced to the Exchequer to help finance the scheme.

53 Mr. O'Brien asked the Minister for Finance the total cost of the redundancy programme introduced by the Government in 1987; if he will, on a Department by Department basis, outline the net number of posts suppressed arising out of the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

66 Mr. D'Arcy asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline (1) the additional amounts, other than the normal transfer of profit from the Central Bank to the Exchequer, which were advanced by the bank to help fund the public sector early retirement scheme in each year from 1987 to date and (2) the arrangements which have been put in place by the Government to repay these advances.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 53 and 66 together. The statistical information sought by the Deputies is set out in two tables which I intend to circulate in the Official Report. Table 1 sets out the annual data on lump sums and pension costs as well as advances made from the Central Bank. Table 2 covers the number of posts suppressed in the Civil Service.

The public service scheme of voluntary early retirement has operated with a number of variations since 1987. The general scheme applied to staff serving in grades which were surplus to operational requirements and where early retirement was available without restriction of age. Posts vacated under this scheme were not filled.