Pension Provisions.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 February 2010

Wednesday, 10 February 2010

Ceisteanna (205)

Thomas Byrne

Ceist:

272 Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the qualifying criteria for receiving pension enhancements of local authority workers under Circular 12/9 in respect of overtime; if amendments have been made to that circular; the qualifying criteria for local authority pensions in respect of reckoning overtime; and the appeals mechanism in place for a retired local authority worker who has not had overtime reckoned for pension purposes. [7197/10]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Deputy John Gormley)

The qualifying criteria for the inclusion of overtime for pension purpose are set out in Circular Letter S.12/91 of 11 December 1991 and remain unchanged. However, Circular Letter S.4/2009 of 7 August 2009 increased the time span during which payment of an eligible allowance may qualify for pension purposes. Copies of these circulars have been sent to the Oireachtas Library. In accordance with the Pensions Ombudsman's Regulations 2003, and under the revised procedures that are in place for dealing with complaints in relation to occupational pensions, a person may seek to have his or her case reviewed internally by his or her employer. If the person is not satisfied with the outcome of such internal review, he/she may be entitled to refer the case to the Pensions Ombudsman.