Seán Haughey
Question:371 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Finance the action he will take on the report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21326/01]
Written Answers. - Public Service Pensions.
Proinsias De Rossa
Question:398 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Finance if the Government will maintain the relationship which exists between salaries of employees and the pensions of all pensioners with special reference to the National Association of Retired Public Servants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [221340/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 371 and 398 together.
I announced the Government's response to the final report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions on 28 September 2001. The Government has decided to accept the thrust of the package of reforms recommended by the commission and intends to establish the working group to advise on implementation as provided for in the programme for prosperity and fairness. The operational details of the implementation of the commission's recommendations will be agreed by Government following receipt of a report from the implementation working group, to be made within six months of this decision.
Parallel structures, subject to the same time frame and remit, will be established in the case of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. Arrangements will also be made to facilitate pensioner group representation in relation to the commission's recommendations on pensions increase policy. In its examination of the pay of public service employees vis-à-vis the private sector, the Public Service Benchmarking Body is required to take into account the differences in conditions of employment and other relevant benefits of both groups, including superannuation benefits. For that reason, the Government has decided to communicate to the benchmarking body its decisions on the commission report.
My Department is currently in discussion with the public services committee of the ICTU regarding union participation on the working group to advise on implementation of the commission's report. As regards pension increases, the House will be aware that in its Action Programme for the Millennium, the Government undertook to protect public service pensions. The Commission on Public Service Pensions made recommendations on the form in which future pension increases should be made and, accordingly, these will come within the remit of the implementation working group to which I have referred. As I have already noted, arrangements will be made to facilitate pensioner group representation in relation to the commission recommendations on pensions increase policy.