Public Sector Staff Remuneration

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2018

Tuesday, 10 July 2018

Questions (196)

Noel Rock

Question:

196. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reimburse public servants in temporary acting-up roles who paid the pension related deduction at their full salary rate but were paying or receiving pension contributions at their substantive rate; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 provides that fixed term workers are afforded no less favourable treatment than their comparable permanent counterparts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30671/18]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

PRD liability is calculated on all remuneration whether pensionable or not pensionable in accordance with Section 2(3) of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 (as amended).  Section 7 of the Act further provides that a deduction under Section 2 is not a pension contribution for the purposes of the Pensions Act 1990.

Remuneration as defined in the Act includes allowances which are never pensionable, e.g. overtime, or which are only pensionable if held at time of retirement, e.g. higher-duty allowance, acting-up allowance, shift allowances.  An allowance which is not held in the 3 years prior to retirement, or under the “best 3 in 10 years” prior to retirement, is not included in the final pensionable remuneration.  There is no provision to refund PRD on such remuneration. 

It should be noted that the above liability is applied regardless of whether the individual is a permanent or a fixed-term worker.  There is no difference in the treatment of either category of staff.