Gay Mitchell
Question:396 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science if an award made to retired teachers in November 1997 will be fully paid (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14878/99]
Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.
Partial payment has already been made to the persons in question. Any outstanding moneys will be paid at the end of June 1999.
Denis Naughten
Question:397 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to ensure that retired principals and deputy principals are in their correct school categories and that the long service increment allowance 35 is included in their pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14910/99]
In accordance with the long-standing practice of my Department, the benefits of increases in salary are reflected in the pensions of all retired teachers and the benefits of allowances
are reflected in the pensions of retired teachers who held those allowances during service. The amount of a principal's or deputy principal's allowance is determined by a scale which is related to the size of school involved. With effect from 1 September 1996, the basis for payment has been changed from a system based on numbers of pupils enrolled to a system based on numbers of teachers employed; the scale of payments has also been extended with the effect of increasing the maximum allowance payable.
Any increase in the principal's or deputy principal's allowance which arises due to the restructuring of the scale is payable only to retired teachers who have received an increase in pay as a result of holding the scale point in question during service. An increase arising from the restructuring of the scale is not payable, therefore, to teachers who retired prior to 1 September 1996. This is in line with the longstanding practice that the scale of an allowance payable is determined at the date of retirement and that the retired teacher will continue to receive the benefit of the scale reached at retirement irrespective of whether enrolments in the school fall or rise after retirement.
The position in the case of the long service allowance is that it was agreed between the parties to the PCW Agreement that this payment would be an allowance rather than an increment in salary. It was also agreed that the payment of the allowance would apply during the period of the early retirement scheme and that the early retirement scheme would operate on a pilot basis pending review in the light of the report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions.
It is expected that the Commission will report later this year. The early retirement scheme for teachers and the payment of the long service allowance will be reviewed at that time.
In the meantime, I have to confirm that, since the payment is an allowance, it is not payable in the pensions of teachers who retired prior to the date from which the allowance was introduced, 1 August 1996.