Civil servants in Mayo could enjoy two years off work with a €20,000 lump sum in their pocket if the Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council gets his way.
Fine Gael Councillor Joe Mellett has made the novel suggestion as a means of making huge savings in the public sector pay roll.
His idea would see 1,000 Irish civil servants being offered the chance to take two years off work and get paid €20,000 for the priviliege.
This would give workers the opportunity to retrain, upskill, travel or go abroad to do charity work with the cushion of having €10,000 a year to spend.
The plan includes a back to work guarantee for those who take up the offer and could result in overwhelming savings in wages at a time when exchequer figures show a tax shortfall this year of €8bn.
If Cllr Mellett’s suggestion is taken on board it would be a first for the public sector, but comes on the back of a similar scheme being offered by Permanent TSB to its workers.
The scheme offers a paid career break where staff can receive up to 50 per cent of their salary up to a maximum of €20,000 for a two-year break - equating to €10,000 a year - while for those willing to leave the organisation for three years, the incentive is 75 per cent of salary up to a maximum total payment of €35,000. The scheme is open to all employees who have two years’ service at the bank.
When employees return after the career break, they are guaranteed a role at a similar level in the bank in the same geographical area.
