Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 January 2018
136. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence when personal superannuation fund statements for 2015 and 2016, as provided for under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 are required to be issued to members of the Defence Forces recruited since 2012; when they will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2770/18]
View answerThe Single Public Service Pension Scheme ("Single Scheme") generally applies to all new-entrant public servants with effect from 1 January 2013. The rules of the Scheme are set out in the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 (‘2012 Act’).
With regard to Statements of Benefits, the 2012 Act provides that Statements are to be issued;
- on an annual basis to all active (employed) members at 31 December, by end-June of the following year, and
- to individual members whose employment ceases, within 6 months of leaving the job.
I can confirm that my Department has commenced issuing Statements in respect of the years 2013 to 2016 to relevant serving Permanent Defence Force personnel who are members of the Single Scheme. Some 10% of personnel have been issued with Statements to date and the remaining Statements are in the process of being checked prior to issue. The Department aims to issue the balance of Statements for the years up to 2016 by April 2018. If a Single Scheme member in the Permanent Defence Force wishes to have a Benefit Statement in relation to their particular case they can contact the Pensions Administration Section of my Department and ask for a manually calculated Benefit Statement.
It is important to note that the Single Scheme is fundamentally different to all pre-2013 public service schemes as it is based on career-average pay rather than final salary and service. Also, it is one Single Scheme across the entire public service. It is significantly more complex to administer than all preceding schemes. This has presented significant operational challenges with regard to issuing Benefit Statements for large and growing numbers of members. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is examining various options for the long-term administrative arrangements for the Single Scheme and the Government has decided on a phased approach to addressing the challenges around the administration of the Scheme. This includes the design and development of a Shared Single Scheme Administration Service for the Scheme in the long-term.
