Public Sector Pensions Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2012

Tuesday, 6 November 2012

Ceisteanna (405)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

405. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the saving to the Exchequer if the following public services pension reduction rates were applied, up to €12,000 exempt; any amount over €12,000 but not over €24,000, 6 per cent; any amount over €24,000 but not over €60,000, 9 per cent; any amount over €60,000 but not over €80,000, 20 per cent; any amount over €80,000 but not over €100,000, 50 per cent; and any amount over €100,000, 100 per cent. [48208/12]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

As the Deputy may be aware, only around 1% of public service pensioners are in receipt of a pension in excess of €60,000 and only a few hundred have a pension in excess of €100,000. The average public service pension is estimated at around €25,000 and many of these pensioners do not have any entitlement to the social welfare pension. I would add that there would be legal issues arising from a proposal to introduce a 100% reduction for pensions above a certain level. The changes in rates and bands proposed by the Deputy would save approximately €10 million in a full year.