asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will arrange, as a matter of equity, to have all public service pensions including the retired pay of army officers appropriately increased immediately following increases in the public service arising out of the implementation of the National Wage Agreement.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Service Pensions.
10.
No change is at present contemplated in the arrangement which was introduced in 1974 whereby public service pensions, including the retired pay of Army officers, are revised on 1st July each year by reference to rates of pay in force on that date.
Any change in the existing arrangements would, of course, have to be considered in the context of budgetary policy.
In so far as retired Army officers have not a pension, is it the intention of the Minister to ensure that the national wage agreement award will be made payable from the date of the award?
The position is as stated in my reply, that is, that any change in existing rates would have to be considered in the context of budgetary policy.
Can the Minister distinguish between pension and pay? Does not the national wage agreement relate to pay?
The retired pay, as it is called, is more analogous to pensions than to current pay, and the Deputy knows that. The improvements which took place this year have cost £2 million and the cost for the full year will be £4½ million. Any reasonable person will accept that it is quite a substantial sum in a difficult budgetary situation bearing in mind that public service pensioners do better than their private sector counterparts in that they are guaranteed annual pension reviews. One must put in the balance the sense of grievance which people in the private sector might have if people in the public sector were to receive more frequent adjustments in pension which would not be available to other people.
In relation to pay as distinct from pensions, would the Minister examine the situation in regard to retired pay, which is a different matter altogether?
The whole question of pensions and retired pay is kept under constant review.
Question No. 11, please.
That is not the point.
Order. One final question.
In relation to the national pay agreement as it relates to pay, will the Minister ensure that those in receipt of pay will get the national pay awards as from the date applicable?
All relative factors will be borne in mind.
Question No. 11, Deputy Fitzgerald.
Arising from the Minister's reply——
Question No. 11 has been called.
One final supplementary.
I have called the next question, Deputy. The Deputy may not defy the Chair.
I will raise it on the Adjournment.
The Deputy may seek to if he wishes. Question No. 11.
(Interruptions.)
The Deputy will behave himself.
I wish for permission to raise it on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I will be very glad to help the Deputy.