Vol. 557 No. 2
221 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will investigate the application by a person (details supplied) in County Dublin to have all of their teaching service, including that served overseas, recognised for incremental credit and for pension purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21814/02]
The scheme of incremental credit for national school teachers, effective from 1 September 2000, provides that incremental credit may be awarded for all recognised teaching service given by qualified teachers in any other EU country. Where approved teaching service is given by Irish trained teachers outside the EU incremental credit is allowed up to a maximum of seven years provided some of that service was given at a date later than 30 May 1979.
The person in question gave teaching service in New Zealand and Australia between 1969 and 1989. In January 2001 following her appointment to a permanent teaching post in Dublin she applied for incremental credit and was granted the maximum allowable incremental credit of seven years in respect of her teaching service outside the EU.
Teaching service given in New Zealand and Australia is not reckonable here for pension purposes. There are no reciprocal arrangements between Ireland and New Zealand or Australia for the transfer of occupational pension rights and there are no proposals to change that position.
