Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 January 2006
1342 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education and Science if a company, details supplied, has been requested by her Department to participate in the public service transfer network; its response to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1669/06]
View answerThe public sector transfer network is managed by my colleague, the Minister for Finance. Membership of the network incurs obligations and costs and is voluntary. I understand that the company referred to by the Deputy is not a member of the network and has notified the Department of Finance that it does not wish to join the network.
1343 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education and Science if a mechanism can be found whereby credit will be given regarding service for pension purposes to persons who are now teachers for years that they were employed in a company, details supplied, a semi-State body as is the practice currently for persons in the public service who previously worked in a range of semi-State bodies and particularly given the small number of teachers involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1670/06]
View answerI am aware that a number of members of staff of vocational education committees and institutes of technology have formerly worked in the company referred to by the Deputy and wish to have service given with the company aggregated for superannuation purposes with their service with their current employer.
The position is that service given in one public sector body may be transferred to another public sector body, such as a vocational education committee or an institute of technology, where both the transferring body and the receiving body are in membership of the public sector transfer network. The network is managed by the Department of Finance and has been in existence since the late 1970s. Membership of the network is voluntary and since membership incurs obligations and costs, it is a matter for each public sector organisation to decide whether it wishes to join.
Although vocational education committees and institutes of technology are members of the network, the Department of Finance has confirmed that the company referred to by the Deputy has decided not to join the network. There is no provision for a transfer of service between network members and a public sector body which is outside the network. I am informed, however, that this general question is being examined in the context of the recent draft EU portability of pensions directive.
