Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD has announced changes to the terms of Top Level Appointment Committee (TLAC).

For all future appointments there will be: no added years; no pension payable prior to the minimum pension age; offers of alternative posts where Secretaries General are from the civil service and do not have 40 years service and have not reached minimum pension age; no severance pay except in the case where a person is not of minimum pension age or has not been offered an alternative post; then severance of up to one year’s salary applies; and no severance payment where a person is offered an alternative post and refuses.

Secretaries-General have also had their pay reduced substantially and they are also paying the pension levy. For those Secretaries General at Grade 1 retiring after February 2012, the pension will be based on the reduced pay of €228,466 (as opposed to €285,341) and all new appointments are paid at €200,000. All current Secretaries General have taken voluntary waivers and reduced their pay to €200,000. Furthermore, lump sums over €200,000 are now taxed and the new single public service pension scheme will introduce a career averaging system for all new entrants including Secretaries General, rather than one based on final salary.