Impact union says new redundancy deal will apply only in 'limited circumstances'

The Government’s new voluntary redundancy arrangements for staff in the public service will apply only in “limited circumstances”, the State’s largest public service union has said.

The Government announced on Tuesday that it had approved a targeted voluntary redundancy scheme on terms similar to those on offer to staff in the HSE in 2010.

In a bulletin to members, the trade union Impact said the new redundancy arrangements would apply only in limited circumstances. It said there would be no “scheme” to which all public servants could apply.

Impact said public service management and unions had reached agreement in the summer on terms for voluntary exits from the public service “where circumstances require it”.

It said this agreement was primarily designed for situations affecting staff not covered by the Croke Park deal.

It said unions understood that it might also be used to offer redundancies to small groups of staff in situations where the Croke Park redeployment option was impractical or unsuitable. Impact said the Government’s announcement on Tuesday appeared to be a confirmation of this view.

Staff leaving under the new redundancy arrangement will receive three weeks’ pay for each year of service up to a maximum of two years’ salary, in addition to statutory entitlements of two weeks’ pay – similar to the position in the HSE two years ago.

The Department of Public Expenditure said all applications would be subject to ongoing business needs.