The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has formally introduced a voluntary redundancy scheme for local authority water services staff, publishing the details of the arrangement over recent days.

The scheme is provided for under the Framework for the future delivery of water services, which outlines the transfer of water services from local authorities to Uisce Éireann. It will work to facilitate the exit of local authority workers who, since 1st January 2024 are under the direction of Uisce Éireann and who do not want to become an employee of Uisce Éireann or who do not wish to be reassigned to an alternative role within their local authority. Applications for voluntary redundancy can be made until 30^th June 2024.

The scheme applies to all local authority water services staff who spend over 50% of their work on water services, are under preserved pension age at 30 June 2024 and who have already accrued entitlement to preserved superannuation benefits under a local government pension scheme.

Head of Local Government and Local Services and the Municipal Employees’ Divisions Richy Carrothers welcomed the announcement, citing it as “a positive step forward”.

“Fórsa has worked hard to secure this scheme for local authority water workers. It’s important to note that there is no automatic right to redundancy, but all applications will be considered by local authorities in the context of the Framework. Importantly, there will be no compulsory redundancies and workers continue to have choices available to them in terms of reassignment within their local authority or to transition or redeploy to Uisce Éireann,” explained Richy.

The terms of the scheme provides for:

a) Severance payment of 3 weeks’ pay per year of actual service plus statutory entitlement under the Redundancy Payments Acts, or the equivalent, subject to an overall limit of:

                           (i) 2 years pay; or, if less,

                           (ii) one-half of the salary payable to preserved pension age.

b) Preserved pension and lump sum payable on attaining preserved pension age (60 or 65, as appropriate).

A decision on applications will be made by the relevant Director of Services in each local authority as soon as practicable after the closing date.

More information on the scheme can be found here, and you can view FAQs here. 

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