Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 12 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 6

Written Answers. - Garda Pension Scheme.

Deirdre Clune

Ceist:

14 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason that gardaí who retired before January 1993 are treated for pension purposes in a different manner to those who retired after that date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6665/98]

Michael Creed

Ceist:

87 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason that gardaí who retired before January 1993 are treated for pension purposes in a different manner to those who retired after that date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6664/98]

Frances Fitzgerald

Ceist:

119 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason that gardaí who retired before January 1993 are treated for pension purposes in a different manner to those who retired after that date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6663/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14, 87 and 119 together.

Pensioners who retired before 1 January 1993, did not benefit from a 1994 restructuring deal done under PESP with the relevant Garda Representative Associations for two reasons. The first was that the commencement date was agreed at 1 January 1993. The second was that traditional arrangements under which pensioners can benefit from increases in pay for serving staff did not arise as the deal involved the future pensionability of unsocial hours allowances in return for flexibility and change within the Garda Síochána and did not involve a pay increase.

To deal with this and similar situations, last year the Government decided that public servants who retired before the commencement dates for restructuring pay agreements under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress and theProgramme for Competitiveness and Work should benefit from those deals on a parity basis subject to a minimum of 3 per cent in their pensions. The minimum adjustment of 3 per cent was calculated as if pay scales had increased by that percentage with effect from 1 September 1995. This percentage increase has now been applied to pensioners formerly of garda, sergeant and inspector rank who retired before 1 January 1993. In respect of those public servants who had received an advance payment of 1 per cent of basic pay under a specific provision of the PCW programme, a minimum adjustment of 2 per cent in pensions was made and was calculated as if the pay scales in question had increaesd by that percentage with effect from 1 May 1995.

Superintendents and chief superintendents concluded a PESP-PCW deal last December. The deal involved special pay increases. In almost all cases the application of the minimum increases of 2 per cent or 3 per cent in pensions, based on notional pay increases, did not arise as parity with serving members in those ranks, who had received the benefit of special pay increases, meant that the minimum pension increase was above the 2 per cent or 3 per cent minimum.

Concerning the garda pension scheme generally, the Deputies may be aware that in February 1996 a commission on public service pensions was established to examine and report on the pension terms of public servants, including members of the Garda Síochána. The commission issued its interim report earlier this year and will issue its final report to Government later this year.