As of 1 January 2013, all new entrant public servants are members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, and this is reflected in their contracts of employment. The Single Scheme is a statutory Public Service Career-Average Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, established on 1 January 2013 under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. The entitlements of the Single Scheme are clearly set out in law and were enacted on 28 July 2012. It was designed as a key reform initiative aimed at securing the provision of affordable occupational pensions into the long term future in the public service.
Members of An Garda Síochána, firefighters, members of the Permanent Defence Force and Prison Officers are categorised as being members of the ‘Uniformed Accrual’ cohort of Single Scheme members. The uniformed grades have certain enhanced benefits that other members of the Single Scheme do not have, in recognition of their earlier retirement age, such as additional early payment of scheme benefits. This enables them to accrue more Single Scheme benefits over the expected shorter public service careers in these roles.
Once members of the ‘Uniformed Accrual’ cohort reach their normal retirement age, as provided for in Section 26 of the 2012 Act, they can retire at that earlier age and receive their occupational retirement benefits accrued at a higher rate, including their retirement lump-sum and the commencement of their pension benefit payments.
Government Policy is to facilitate longer active working lives, with the social welfare system continuing to provide a safety net for those who, for health or other reasons, are not in a position to work longer. The Single Scheme does not provide for a ‘Supplementary Pension’ to account for the fact that retirees cannot immediately access the State Pension (Contributory) between their retirement age and the State Retirement Age, as uniformed members also have the opportunity to work in other employment.
