The terms and conditions of the Supplementary Pension available to retired public servants, including Gardaí, are determined under the rules of the occupational pension scheme, which is a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. The Department of Social Protection has no role in determining that a retired public servant should apply for a social welfare payment. Any changes in this regard is a matter for that Department.
Any person who retires before pension age, including public servants, may qualify for the social insurance contribution-based Jobseeker’s Benefit or the means-tested Jobseeker’s Allowance if they satisfy the qualifying conditions for these schemes. One of the statutory qualifying conditions for the jobseekers’ schemes is that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time employment. The qualifying conditions are designed for universal applicability, regardless of the previous employment or profession. These universal qualifying conditions cannot be amended for one sector or group of retired employees.
There has been communication with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to these matters including contact from officials from that Department to discuss improvements to the administration of supplementary pensions.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
