Vol. 487 No. 6
224 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason a person (details supplied) in County Sligo who was a pensionable officer in the North-Western Health Board has not received her pension rate of pay since February 1996 as medical certification is still provided; the entitlements, if any, she is eligible for under the superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5012/98]
I understand from the North-Western Health Board that the officer concerned had exhausted her entitlement to sick leave on full and half pay. My Department approved payment to her of pension rate of pay for a total period of one year from 7 February 1995. Such approval is generally only given for a period not exceeding six months; in the case of this officer an extended period of 12 months was approved subject to the condition that the North-Western Health Board was satisfied that there was a reasonable expectation that the officer would be in a position to return to duty and that she had given the board a probable date of return. My Department has not received any further application from the health board for an extension of this period.
As time on pension rate of pay is not reckonable as service for superannuation purposes, no superannuation contributions were deducted. At the date of commencement of pension rate of pay I understand that the officer had total pensionable service of 20 years, including actual service and added years in the event of permanent infirmity.
Should she be permanently unfit for duty, the officer concerned may apply for retirement on the grounds of permanent infirmity in accordance with the terms of the local government superannuation scheme, which would include both lump sum and pension calculated on the basis of her service. Her application should be accompanied by a statement from a medical consultant setting out her condition, stating that she is permanently unfit or infirm and that she is incapable of discharging the duties of her post by reason of this permanent condition.
