Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)

Yes, there are indeed some differences with regard to how chargeable excess tax is paid between private pensions and public sector pensions. The main difference is that public sector workers are permitted to spread their CET over 20 years and the reason is that the State administers the pension, and that option is not available for individuals in the private sector. However, this is something that needs examination and consideration. The advice I have received very clearly on the use of any change of the age related factors is that it would apply to all workers, that is, to anybody who is in that pension scheme, and that it is not possible to ring-fence particular groups of workers. If there was a way in which this could be ring-fenced, we might well be having a different discussion but it is applicable to anybody who has a pension to which these arrangements apply.