Mr. Conor King:

If people are forced to retire at 62, they have the occupational element of the pension. The pension is integrated, which means it comprises in part the occupational element from the Department of Defence or Department of justice as the case may be, and the other half is supposed to be the State pension. Prior to 2012, the State pension was paid to bridge the gap. It should all come in at approximately 40% of salary, but it is a combination. It recognises a long career in service of the State, but it also recognises, which is punitive to some degree, that people cannot work another job. They must engage with the social welfare system. They cannot work in any other insurable employment and must stay fully engaged with the system. Then and only then can they avail of the pension. If they go back to work, for example two days per week, they lose those two days of pension. It is very tight.

Gardaí have had an issue with the post-1995 pension, which we are also bound by, with respect to difficulties even in engaging with the social welfare system, but that is another story. The single pension scheme which came in on 1 January 2013 is so punitive that it removed the occupational element which means, as I said, that members of the Defence Forces and other uniformed services are considering their options far earlier than they ordinarily would. That is very concerning for retention in the future.