Finian McGrath
Ceist:209 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will make issues (details supplied) a matter of priority. [7183/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 3 March 2004
Ceisteanna (138)
Freagraí scríofa
The principal issue raised by the Deputy is the question of the age at which teachers should retire. This issue, including the age at which public servants generally should retire, has been the subject of a Government decision which was announced in the budget and has been explained to the public service unions. The decision reached, with which I am in full agreement, is that the generality of new entrants to the public service from 1 April 2004, including teachers, should retire at age 65.
Teachers already in service may continue to avail of the existing provisions for early retirement, including the scheme of early retirement introduced under the PCW agreement. The latter scheme was introduced some years ago on a pilot basis pending review in the light of the Report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions. The commission, in its report of 2001, recommended that the pilot scheme be continued for a further five years and be further reviewed at that time.
The commission also recommended the introduction of cost neutral early retirement. The Minister for Finance in his Budget Statement indicated that he will examine the possibility of providing for some form of optional early retirement with payment of actuarially reduced benefits which would have a cost neutral effect, as recommended by the commission.
The Minister for Finance also announced in his Budget Statement that the Government has decided to implement the bulk of the commission's recommendations. A joint management-union group has been established as a forum within which practical aspects of the implementation of the commission's recommendations can be discussed. Both my Department and the teachers' unions will have an opportunity at this forum to put forward their views on the various matters raised by the Deputy.