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Public Sector Pensions

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 October 2016

Wednesday, 19 October 2016

Questions (103)

Clare Daly

Question:

103. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 885 of 16 September 2016, the reason he has no plans to review the spouse's and children's payment scheme; and if he has satisfied himself with the operation of the scheme as it stands, including its mandatory nature regardless of marital status. [31061/16]

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Written answers

The public service operates a Spouses' and Children's Contributory Pension Scheme.  This provides benefits to Spouses or Children of deceased members. In summary, when a member dies after retirement, a spouse's pension of one-half of the former member's pension is payable.  Dependent children are also entitled to a child's pension of one-third of the spouse's pension for each of the first three eligible children.

The original pre 1984 scheme did not allow for the payment of a pension to a spouse who married or had children post retirement.  Thus, the scheme allowed a refund of contributions if the individual had not been married up to the point of retirement.

In 1984, a revised Scheme which extended eligibility for benefits to spouses who married or had children after retirement was introduced and members of the original scheme and certain retirees were given the option of transferring to the revised Scheme.

One of the benefits of the Revised Scheme was that the spouse of a post retirement marriage was eligible for a spouse's pension. The disadvantage of the Scheme was that there was no facility for repayment of contributions on retirement if the individual concerned did not have a spouse and would not therefore be in a position to avail of any benefit under the Scheme.

For members who remained in the original Scheme there was an entitlement to claim a refund of contributions in the event that the member remained unmarried at the date of retirement.  Many members of the scheme availed of this option and received a refund.

Members of the Spouses' and Children's Contributory Pension Scheme regardless of their marital status i.e. persons in civil partnerships or those in opposite or same sex marriages are not discriminated under any aspect of the public service pension schemes.

Public service spouses' and children's schemes are structured on a group insurance basis and the member contribution rates take account of the fact that payment of benefits will not arise in respect of all members.  On that basis I have no plans to review the scheme at present.

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