Vol. 547 No. 1
396 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Finance when the spouses and children's section of the pension for the Health and Safety Association will be signed off; when the Health and Safety Association is going to implement the professional added years; when will credit be provided for professional added years; the arrangements the Health and Safety Association will put in place to compensate workers. [1208/02]
I understand that the National Authority for Occupational Safety and Health's spouses' and children's contributory pension scheme is being finalised. The final version will be submitted firstly to my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and then to me for signing off. My Department has no objection to members of the staff of the authority who were recruited by the authority in a professional, technical or specialist capacity being considered for an award of added notional years of pensionable service on the basis of the scheme for the award of such "professional added years" by State-sponsored bodies. Members of the staff of the authority who were formerly civil servants who were entitled to be considered for an award of added notional years of service for superannuation purposes under section 6(3) or 6(4) of the Superannuation and Pensions Act, 1963. Those designated by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in accordance with section 20 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989, may also be considered for an award of added notional years of pensionable service on the basis of the scheme for the award of "professional added years" by State-sponsored bodies. It should be noted that section 21 of the Act provides that such designated persons shall not be granted superannuation benefits on terms and conditions which are less favourable than the terms and conditions which applied to them in relation to such benefits immediately before being transferred to the authority. My Depart ment indicated to the authority in May 2000 that it had no objection to draft arrangements for the purchase of additional notional years of service for superannuation purposes by members of its staff which were submitted by the authority.
397 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Finance if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 8 November 2001, he will outline the additional progress which has been made regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the final report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1253/02]
On 28 September 2001, I announced the Government's decision to accept the thrust of the package of reforms recommended by the Commission on Public Service Pensions and to establish a working group to advise on implementation, as provided for in the PPF. The operational details of the implementation of the commission's recommendations will be agreed by Government following receipt of a report from the implementation working group. The working group, comprising representatives from the public service unions and relevant Government Departments has been established and held its first meeting on 10 January 2002. The next meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, 31 January 2002. Parallel structures, subject to the same timeframe and remit, are being established in the case of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. My Department is also finalising arrangements for the involvement of pensioners in the working group process and a preliminary meeting was held with pensioner group representatives, in this connection, on 11 December 2001.
