Michael Noonan
Ceist:238 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Education and Science when increases due for 1998 to retired teachers under Partnership 2000 will be paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26036/98]
Written Answers - Pension Provisions.
Arrears of pension are due to some retired teachers in accordance with the terms of the PCW agreement and Partnership 2000. In order to calculate how much is due under Partnership 2000, it is first necessary to complete the calculation of how much is due under the PCW agreement.
The PCW agreement is a complex one and, in order to cope with implementation of its provisions, including paying pension arrears, my Department has taken on additional staff, both permanent and temporary.
The pace of the work of payment has been affected by the fact that normal retirements, which reached a record level in 1997, have continued to occur at the same high level, almost 50 per cent higher than in 1996. The work has also been delayed by the amount of queries which are received on a daily basis regarding the benefits of the PCW agreement and regarding superannuation generally. The rate of queries received is such that staff are dedicated to answering phone queries between 10 and 12 in the morning in the case of secondary teachers and between 2.30 and 4.30 in the afternoon in the case of primary teachers.
With regard to the outstanding arrears, including the arrears due under Partnership 2000, the position is that a dedicated group of staff are working full-time with a view to making payments to as many retired teachers as possible before Christmas. Where it is not possible to complete the work of calculating the amounts due before Christmas, my Department will make payments on account to the retired teachers involved.