MINISTER FOR SOCIAL Protection Joan Burton has defended the government’s handling of public sector retirements and blamed the previous Fianna Fáil-led government for problems with the scheme.

Minister Burton was responding to a FF  TD who said that the handling of the exits has been “shambolic”.

Michael McGrath criticised the government for the delay with figures for how many public sector workers would be retiring, despite the scheme being mooted for a year.

More than 2,000 people – many of them nurses – are due to retire from the health service alone by the end of the month.

Joan Burton said the government has been engaged in planning for the retirements but didn’t know the exact number of people availing of the scheme until last week.

She said that the figures could still change as people could change their minds and not proceed with their retirement.

“It’s merely allowing people to take advantage of the additional pension income they would derive as a consequence of taking their retirement earlier as set out by former Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan,” Burton told the Dáil this morning. She told McGrath:

“Why you would now express mystification of it is a bit odd but maybe you never understood it at the time and that’s why you’re befuddled now”.

The Minister said that she discussed the issue with the Secretary-General of the Department of Social Protection on a weekly basis.

Joan Burton took Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil this morning  as Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore are in New York.

More than 2,000 to retire from health service by end of month >