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Michael Scanlan is to retire in April. Photocall Ireland

Top civil servant to retire, aged 55, with €430,000 package

Meanwhile, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has revealed that one civil servant has taken a voluntary pay cut of more than 50 per cent.

THE CURRENT SECRETARY General at the Department of Health is to retire later this year with a lump sum and severance payment of over €430,000.

The Department of Health has confirmed that Michael Scanlan’s seven-year-term will come to an end on 8 April. He will be 55-years-old and clocked up nearly 38-and-a-half years working in the civil service.

The department said that, in accordance with his contract, he qualifies for a pension of €107,795, as well as a lump sum of €323,385 and a severance gratuity of €107,795.

As he is retiring after 29 February, the amounts are based on his final salary – after cuts made under the financial emergency legislation introduced. The severance gratuity is one half of his annual salary and he is eligible for a pension and lump sum based on his actual service plus 1.5 added years.

It is therefore much lower than some of his counterparts that retired before 29 February this year.

Last year, civil servants Sean Gorman and Dermot McCarthy caused massive controversy as they received retirement packages of over €630,000 and €700,000 respectively. The Government then set about to make changes to the arrangements of the exceptionally generous pension regimes.

Scanlan also steps down from his position as chairman of the HSE but has said he will play “an appropriate role after his retirement, on a pro-bono basis”.

The Top Level Appointments Committee are making arrangements to appoint a successor by open competition. Any new appointment will not be guaranteed severance payments, immediate pensions or added years.

Meanwhile, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin told the Dáil that an anonymous senior public servant has taken a 50 per cent pay cut voluntarily.

“We have moved remarkably, but we cannot look on public servants as an amorphous group to be squeezed to solve all of our problems,” he said in response to questions about public service pay from Independent TD Stephen Donnelly.

“A couple of years ago, a Secretary General in my Department would have been earning €285,000. He is now earning €200,000. The €85,000 cut is an extraordinary reduction, and we have applied that across the board…,” said Howlin.

“We have an agreement, namely, the Croke Park agreement, under which we are bringing about objectively significant and radical reforms.”

More: Future senior civil servants face pension changes from today>

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    Mute Colin Treacy
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:09 AM

    Well done on a fabulous month of prizes. Many more happy years to you all on the Journal.

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    Mute Declan Carr
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:09 AM

    They were all great prizes, well done .

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    Mute Dan Higgins
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:05 AM

    Liked and shared hun xoxo

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    Mute noodlez
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:39 AM

    WOW incredible prize it would be a fantastic way to start 2016

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    Mute catkins407
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    Oct 31st 2015, 9:49 AM

    Well I won natin! I like to think that it’s because I’m one of life’s great winners generally and don’t need fabulous prizes. This is my story and I’m sticking with it ok?

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    Mute Paul Dunne
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:40 AM

    was on royal Caribbean a couple of weeks ago fantastic stuff altogether.

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    Mute Kathleen Henderson
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:17 AM

    Take me on A Sunday Holidays Royal Carrabean Cruise….please

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    Mute Brianog2
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:53 AM

    Happy Halloween everybody.

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    Mute Shane Freeney
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:42 AM

    Oh yes please !

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    Mute The Viking
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:26 AM

    Now that would be nice.. !!!!!

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:20 AM

    for the grand finale I hope one of your regular commenters win ! x

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    Mute Suzie Sunshine
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    Oct 31st 2015, 9:06 AM

    ha ha , I was talking about all regular commenters !

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    Mute Jonathan McKee
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    Oct 31st 2015, 10:31 AM

    great prizes all month and what a way to finish :-)

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    Mute Kevin Halpin
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    Oct 31st 2015, 12:04 PM

    Never once twigged after entering a lot of these competitions that I was sending it to the wrong email address. Where’s that Delorean

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    Mute Little Diddy No
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    Oct 31st 2015, 12:09 PM

    Pick your time carefully if you win – extreme heatwaves hotter than ever in human history on this planet predicted for this area! http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/26/extreme-heatwaves-could-push-gulf-climate-beyond-human-endurance-study-shows

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    Mute Jack Mitchell
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    Oct 31st 2015, 12:36 PM

    Amazing price. Good luck too everyone

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    Mute Teresa O'Meara
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    Oct 31st 2015, 7:43 PM

    Entered everyday… I have a feeling I didn’t win anything cos they were waiting to give me this hum dinger of a prize at the end!!!! One can hope!!!!

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    Mute Little Diddy No
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    Oct 31st 2015, 12:07 PM

    Reminds me of this hysterical video of a New Zealand cruise ship caught in a massive storm! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj9gq6um3FE

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    Mute Anto Curran
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    Oct 31st 2015, 8:37 AM

    *awaits waddlers copy and paste about neo – liberal holiday destinations*

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    Mute Lily
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    Oct 31st 2015, 10:33 AM

    Considering I get really bad motion sickness this would be my worst nightmare, fitting for the day that’s in it.

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    Mute Sandra Turner
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    Oct 31st 2015, 11:14 AM

    Hope you win Hun x

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    Mute Lily
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    Oct 31st 2015, 7:24 PM

    Not in, can’t win. :)

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    Mute Liam Brophy
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    Oct 31st 2015, 10:16 AM

    deadly

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