Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 31 May 2000

Vol. 520 No. 2

Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.

John McGuinness

Question:

166 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will review the pension scheme on offer to non-established State employees in her Department's employment with a view to introducing a far more attractive package for those taking up employment in the future and giving better terms to those employees who have already given long service; her views on whether a lump sum payment of £17,000 and a yearly pension of £1,700 after 40 years service is in need of urgent review; and her views on whether this scheme is not helpful to those who might be considering a position in this grade. [15632/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera):

The pension scheme operated by my Department for non-established State employees is that which has been sanctioned by the Department of Finance, for application to non-established employees in all Departments. It should be borne in mind that the scheme is non-contributory and that employees also qualify for entitlement to the State contributory old age pension. My Department also facilitates the operation of additional voluntary contribution schemes which are organised by various trade unions. Any revision of the current scheme is not a matter for my Department in isolation, but rather is an issue for consideration by the appropriate national negotiating body, the National Joint Industrial Council for State Employees, which operates under the aegis of the Labour Court.

In the particular case instanced by the Deputy, the employee concerned would have less than 38 years service at maximum age retirement, 66. His pension entitlements are calculated on the basis of his pensionable remuneration and reckonable service. This person has recently been correctly advised of his estimated entitlements to pension and pension lump sum, based on current pay rates and an assumption that all of his service is reckonable.