Planning service paid out £41,745 in bonuses

Officers received a total amount of 29,380 in non-consolidated bonuses and 12,365 in special bonuses since 2003/4.

Environment Minister Edwin Poots outlined the information in response to a query at the Stormont Assembly.

He set out the total amount of bonuses paid to Planning Service staff by financial year and divisional planning office.

Mr Poots explained: "Non-consolidated bonus payments are made in each year's Pay Awards and are awarded to all NICS staff whose performance, as determined through the NICS Performance Management arrangements, is judged to be above a satisfactory level. Special Bonuses can be awarded to staff in civil service grades below the Senior Civil Service (up to and including Grade 6) and set in the NICS Special Bonus Scheme.

"The scheme gives Departments discretion to reward exceptional performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. The overall cost of special bonuses in each Department in any year, must not exceed 0.2 per cent of the pay bill and individual awards should not normally exceed 1,000," he said.

The highest amount of non-consolidated bonuses paid in one year was 9,780 in 2004/5 and the highest special bonus in one year was 3,460 in 2005/6.