Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 January 2014
727. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if she will provide, in tabular form and year on year, the occasions on which she has signed off on the awarding of added years to public sector workers between March 2011 and December 2013; the grade of the persons awarded the added years; and the number of added years awarded in each instance. [1355/14]
View answerThe award of notional service (or added years) relate to either (a) professional, technical or other grades and intended to compensate for the inability of individuals in such positions to qualify for the maximum retirement age for a full pension based on 40 years service (due to the minimum preconditions for appointment); or (b) early retirement due to ill-health resulting from a permanent disability which was not self-inflicted.. The award of any such notional service for civil servants employed at my Department is at the discretion of the Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform and I have no direct role in this regard. I can however, confirm to the Deputy that only one such award has been approved since my Department was established in June 2011. This was in respect of a Clerical Officer who had to retire early due to ill-health in 2012 and notional service of 9 years and 20 days were awarded.
Public service bodies under the aegis of my Department have their own superannuation schemes in place and I understand that the Children Detention Schools are the only body to have awarded notional or added years since 2011. This was in respect of 8 ill-health retirements. Details relating to these awards are being provided by my colleague Mr Alan Shatter, T.D. Minister for Justice and Equality in his response to this question as the pension scheme is administered from the Financial Shared Service operated by the Department of Justice and Equality.
