Vol. 489 No. 6
714 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science the pension entitlements for female secondary teachers, who up to 1972 had to retire on marriage, if they return to the service at a later date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8776/98]
Under the secondary school teachers' superannuation scheme it was not mandatory for female teachers to resign on marriage. Female teachers appointed on or before 31 July 1963 were, eligible for the award of a marriage gratuity provided they had completed six years of pensionable service and retired from approved teaching service no later than the date of their marriage.
It is open to a teacher who retired on payment of a marriage gratuity to return to teaching service. It is also open to the returning teacher to rejoin the superannuation scheme from a current date. If the teacher wishes to reinstate the pensionable service given prior to marriage, however, she must repay the marriage gratuity together with 5 per cent compound interest per year from the date of payment to the date of repayment.
An option to repay a marriage gratuity must be exercised while the teacher is in pensionable service.
