The Civil Service Spouses’ and Children’s Scheme is a contributory scheme, membership of which is compulsory for men appointed on or after 1 January 1969 and women appointed on or after 1 June 1981. Men and women serving prior to the relevant dates were given options to join the scheme. The original scheme provides pensions for the spouse and/or dependent children of a member or eligible dependent children of a member who dies in service, or after qualifying for pension (or preserved pension). It does not provide pensions for spouses of marriages occurring after retirement or children resulting from such marriages. Following discussions with staff interests, a further option was given to all officers in 1984 to join the revised spouses' and children’s scheme. This covers the spouses of post-retirement marriages and all of the member’s children.
The Commission on Public Service Pensions, which examined a range of public service pension issues in its 2000 report, concluded that:
"The spouses’ and children’s contributory pension schemes are key components in the public service pension system. We consider that the former, in particular, have proved to be one of the more important developments in public service pensions policy over the last 30 years. Through public service spouses’ and children’s schemes, it has been possible to provide for the surviving family members of public servants when they die after retirement or while in public service employment. As well as meeting an important social need, the schemes have helped ensure a degree of financial security and peace of mind for individual public servants and for their dependants."
The Pensions Commission stated that it accepted the view that public service spouses’ and children’s schemes are structured on a group insurance basis and that member contribution rates take account of the fact that payment of benefits will not arise in respect of all members.
I am satisfied that the Civil Service Spouses' and Children's Contributory Pension Scheme meets the requirements of the Employment Equality Acts, 1998–2015 in relation to all of the grounds of discrimination set out in the legislation, including on grounds of disability.
