Vol. 494 No. 4
158 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Defence if a gratuity benefit of £7,740 can be immediately paid to a person (details supplied) in County Cork who was employed as a civil employee at Haulbowline naval dockyard from 9 April 1985 to 23 July 1998 and who has been told that neither his pension nor gratuity benefit will be paid until he reaches his 65th birthday. [18659/98]
The person referred to was formerly employed as a civilian employee craftsman in the naval dockyard, Haulbowline. He resigned on 23 July 1998 of his own volition. Under the terms of the non-contributory pension scheme for non-established State employees, his superannuation entitlements have been preserved for payment to him on 4 January 2019, his 65th birthday.
In the case of such voluntary retirement before the age of 65, the above pension scheme makes no provision for payment of superannuation entitlements before the date of the 65th birthday. Accordingly, it will not be possible to accede to his request for the payment of a gratuity before such date.
