Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 4

Written Answers - Teachers' Superannuation Schemes.

P. J. Sheehan

Question:

172 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Education the contributions of primary and post-primary teachers to their superannuation scheme; and the pensions paid to retired teachers in respect of the school year 1995-96. [20802/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

The attached table provides details, in respect of both the primary and secondary teachers' superannuation schemes, for the school year 1995-96 of first, the superannuation contributions made by members of the respective schemes and second, pension benefits paid in respect of eligible teachers on retirement or who died while in service. These benefits are defined as retirement pension, disablement pension, preserved benefits and spouse's and children's pension.

The superannuation of vocational teachers is determined by the local government superannuation code and is currently the responsibility of the Department of the Environment. Superannuation payments to vocational teachers are made through individual local authorities and the costs involved are reimbursed to those bodies by my Department. The figures shown for vocational teachers are in respect of reimbursed costs estimated for a period comparable to the 1995-96 school year.

School Year	Pension Contribution	Pensions Paid
1995-96	5 per cent	1.5 per cent	Retired Teachers	Contributory and Ex-gratia Spouses-Widows of deceased teachers
Primary	£25.349 million	£5.953 million	£65.959 million	£6.396 million
Secondary, Community and Comprehensive	£19.151 million	£4.211 million	£25.701 million	£2.049 million
Vocational	£9.910 million(estimated)	incl. in figure for 5 per cent contrib.	£13.600 million	£2.600 million

Payments in respect of retirement and death gratuities are not included in these figures.

All teachers who are members of their respective superannuation schemes contribute towards their superannuation benefits in the following ways: first, towards their own pensions by deduction of 5 per cent of salary and allowances while serving and second, in the case of those who are members of the spouse's and children's pension schemes towards the spouse's and children's scheme by deduction of 1.5 per cent of salary and allowances while serving, and by deduction of 1 per cent of retiring pensionable salary from the retirement lump sum of death gratuity in respect of each year for which contributions at 1.5 per cent were not paid.