asked the Minister for Education (i) her Department's policy regarding the eligibility of teaching service in other countries for pension purposes for teachers performing the bulk of their teaching service in this country; and (ii) if she will outline the minimum retirement age for teachers in the various branches of education: (a) primary (b) secondary (c) vocational and (d) third level.
Written Answers. - Teachers' Pensions.
134.
(i) The award of pensions and other superannuation benefits in respect of national school teachers and secondary teachers is governed by statutory superannuation schemes made under the Teachers' Superannuation Act, 1928. Various amending schemes have been made over the years and a number of approved changes are currently being implemented administratively pending their incorporation into further amending schemes for approval by the Oireachtas.
Teaching service given outside of the State is not pensionable service for the purposes of the national school teachers' superannuation schemes or the secondary teachers' superannuation schemes and there are no proposals for changing this position.
There are no reciprocal arrangements at present for transferring service between this country and other countries for superannuation purposes. Any such arrangements proposed would have to be considered in the context of the public service generally.
In the universities arrangements operate under which staff with service outside the country may, in certain circumstances, become members or retain their membership in the federated superannuation system for universities or the universities superannuation scheme.
(ii) (a) Under the national school teachers' superannuation schemes the minimum retirement age for a teacher to get immediate retirement pension and lump sum, other than a teacher who retires on grounds of disability, is, either
(a) 55 years of age where the teacher has completed 35 years or more of pensionable service, or
(b) 60 years of age provided the teacher has completed at least five years of pensionable service.
(ii) (b) Under the secondary teachers superannuation scheme the minimum retiring age for a teacher with immediate award of a retirement pension and lump sum, other than a teacher who retires on grounds of disability, is 60 years of age.
(ii) (c) Vocational teachers are recognised as officers for superannuation purposes under the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956 (Consolidation) Scheme, 1987, and local government (superannuation) (consolidation) scheme, 1986, and responsibility for the operation of the scheme rests with the Minister for the Environment. The minimum retirement age for VEC teachers is 60 years.
(ii) (d) The minimum age for retirement on pension from the universities, excluding retirement on disability is 60 years with the exception of St. Patrick's College, Maynooth and Trinity College where the age is 50 years.