Denis Naughten
Ceist:174 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding pension parity for retired teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4360/98]
Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government announced in November that public service pensioners who retired before the commencement dates of restructuring pay deals under the Programme for Competitiveness and Work should benefit from those pay deals on a parity basis subject to a minimum adjustment of 3 per cent in their pensions, or 2 per cent in the case of those pensioners who have already received an advance payment of 1 per cent.
In accordance with the Government decision, an increase of 2 per cent in their pensions is due to teachers who retired before 1 July 1994 — the commencement date in the case of teachers of the PCW restructuring pay deals. The position to date is that this increase, together with arrears of 2 per cent from 1 May 1996, has been included in the monthly pension payment issued at the end of January 1998 to primary and secondary teachers who retired before July 1994. Vocational educational committees have also been authorised to make payments on the same basis to retired vocational teachers.