Vol. 517 No. 4
167 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Finance the plans, if any, he has to remove the provision on all public sector pensions whereby Departments are required to recover any portion of pension paid in respect of the period after death and pension paid for any part of the current period later than the date of death; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10060/00]
Pensions under public sector occupational pension schemes are payable only for the lifetime of the beneficiary. Entitlement to the pension ceases on the date of death of the pensioner. Where a pensioner is survived by an eligible spouse and/or children, they may be entitled to benefit under the relevant spouses' and children's pensions scheme. Those schemes normally provide for enhanced rates of benefit in relation to the period immediately subsequent to death.
Pensions are generally payable in arrears. However, I am aware that there have been some difficulties in cases where a pensioner dies and the pension payment has already issued for that payment period. In such cases, an overpayment of pension arises in respect of the period between the date of death of the pensioner and the date of expiry of that payment period. In such cases, under the terms of the schemes, only the amount due in respect of the period up to the date of death would be payable to the estate and the balance falls to be recovered. My Department is examining the position in relation to such cases with a view to complying with the scheme requirements as sensitively as possible.
