Michael Finucane
Ceist:331 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if allowances paid to gardaí are reckonable for pension purposes for those who retired before 1993; and, if not, if he will consider this. [24174/99]
Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.
It would appear that the Deputy is referring to a decision which was reached in 1994, to make unsocial hours allowances payable to gardaí This was done as part of a restructuring agreement reached at the Garda conciliation council under the local bargaining clause of the Programme for Economic and Social Partnership – PESP – and was in return for agreement by the relevant Garda associations to contribute to flexibility and change within the force. The agreement did not provide for the extension of pensionability of unsocial hours allowances to Garda pensioners who retired before 1 January 1993.
Garda pensioners who retired before 1 January 1993 however, benefited from a 1997 Government decision which set a floor increase of 3% to those pensioners who did not benefit from the local bargaining clause of the PESP and the Programme for Competitiveness and Work.
Concerning the Garda pension scheme generally, the Deputy will be aware that the Commission on Public Service Pensions, was established in February 1996 to examine and report on the pension terms of public servants, including members of the Garda Síochána. I understand that the commission hopes to finalise its report later this year or early next year.