Vol. 489 No. 2
141 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will give details of the recent agreement for prison officers which made the rent allowance pensionable; if the cut-off date was agreed with the Prison Officers' Association; the basis of the cut-off date; the way in which it was arrived at; and if he will make a statement on the matter with particular reference to pensioners excluded by the cut-off date. [7773/98]
As the Deputy may be aware clause 2 (iii) of the PCW provided that claims for improvements in pay and conditions be addressed on a basis which would involve change in structures, work practices or other conditions of service. Negotiations took place with the Prison Officers' Association under this clause and agreement on a package of measures was reached. One of the issues which was agreed with the association was that rent allowance will be pensionable to members of the Prison Service serving on or after 1 January 1994. It was, also, agreed with the association that rent allowance will be reckonable for the purpose of calculating lump sums or death gratuity in the case of members who retired or died in service in the period 1 January 1993 to 31 December 1993. In such cases pension will only be adjusted to take account of rent allowance with effect from 1 January, 1994.
Making rent allowance pensionable has cost implications. Clause 2 (iii) of the PCW put a ceiling on the overall cost of agreements. A cut off date for the pensionability of rent allowance had, therefore, to be agreed upon. The dates outlined above were agreed with the association.
It is established practice that allowances, where they are made pensionable for the first time, are made pensionable only for employees serving on or after the effective date. This has been consistent policy for all public service groups.
