Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Mar 2001

Vol. 532 No. 1

Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

376 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science the method which is adapted where a teacher (details supplied) in County Kildare has taught for 17 years in Northern Ireland and 24 years with the Department of Education here, in assessing his pension payments; if the Department of Education and Science will pay all of his pension: if it will be in two payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6754/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

Pensions for retired primary school teachers are calculated according to the national school teachers' superannuation scheme which allows for all qualified service given in a temporary or permanent capacity, within this State, to be included in the calculation of pension and lump sum.

There are no provisions at present under which teaching service given outside the State may be reckoned for purposes of a pension under the superannuation scheme. Consideration is currently being given to the feasibility of transferring pension rights of teachers between this country and the United Kingdom in the context of the Good Friday Agreement and in the interests, particularly, of the mobility of teachers between North and South. The working group examining this matter expects to be in a position to make recommendations by the end of the current year.

Pending consideration of the recommendations of the working group, the superannuation scheme provides for the payment by this Department of superannuation benefits on the basis of service given in this State only. Similarly, the question of payment of superannuation benefits based on service in Northern Ireland is at present solely a matter for the Northern Ireland authorities.

Bernard Allen

Ceist:

377 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason his Department is refusing to respond to requests from the Labour Relations Commission concerning incremental credit for temporary technicians in Cork and Sligo institutes of technology especially in view of the fact that some of the people in that grade have been working for between ten and 20 years in a temporary capacity without pension and sick pay and are considered part-time despite the fact that they are working a full week in a full year; and the further reason correspondence sent to the Department over 12 months has not yet been responded to. [6755/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

My Department has been in contact recently with the Labour Relations Commission with a view to clarifying some of the issues and progressing this matter.