asked the Minister for Finance if, having regard to the nine per cent increase recently granted to civil servants and others in the public service, he will grant a similar increase to public service pensioners in keeping with the recommendation of the committee on post-retirement adjustments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Service Pensioners.
17.
Public service pensioners were granted an increase of five per cent from 1st August last. The question of giving them further increases will be considered in conjunction with other matters appropriate to the Budget.
The Committee on Post Retirement Increases in Public Service Pensions recommended that public service pensions be increased in future to offset increases in the cost-of-living subject to the increases being granted only when a general pay increase was being granted to serving personnel and to their not exceeding the amount of the general pay increase. The recommendation was also subject in the case of contributory schemes, to the cost of increases being met, if necessary, by appropriately increasing existing rates of contribution from both employers and employees and, in the case of noncontributory schemes, by basing future pension awards on pay averaged over the last three years of service.
As Civil Service and other pensions are still calculated by reference to retiring pay, the Committee's recommendation would not warrant the increase proposed by the Deputy.
Is consideration being given to implementing that Committee's report?
It has been, in general, implemented in its main points already.
But not in respect of commensurate increases for the existing pensioners?
The Committee did not recommend that.