Vol. 477 No. 7
133 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Minister for Justice if her attention has been drawn to the concern and disquiet felt and voiced by many older gardaí who retired before 1 January 1993, and whose pension is based on salary whereas those gardaí who retired since 1 January 1993, have a pension based on salary and allowances; the proposals, if any, the Government has for correcting this anomaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10309/97]
In 1994 a decision was reached to make unsocial hours allowances pensionable. This was done as part of a restructuring agreement reached under the local bargaining clause of the PESP, and was in return for agreement by Garda associations to contribute to flexibility and change within the Force. The agreement was subject to an overall limit on cost of 3 per cent of basic pay. It did not provide for the extension of pensionability of unsocial hours to Garda pensioners who retired before 1 January 1993.
In relation to this restructuring agreement, restructuring deals have still to be finalised in respect of several other major public service groups and that consideration is currently being given to the implications for existing pensioners of the existing and pending restructuring deals across the public sector, and in relation to pension policy generally.
Concerning the Garda pension scheme generally, the Deputy will be aware that in February 1996 my colleague, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Quinn, established the Commission on Public Service Pensions to examine and report on the pension terms of public servants, including members of the Garda Síochána. The Commission has been asked to report to Government in 1998.
