Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions

Decisions on Public Petitions Received

4:25 pm

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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That is all agreed. We have agreed that we will invite the petitioner, along with two others who are associated with it, and ask for clarification on some of the key points he has made. We will also invite the Minister.

The next petition is P00021/13, concerning superannuation. Mr. Rossa O'Briain is calling for a change in the legislation governing superannuation payments to allow for discontinuation of superannuation contributions once 40 years' service and contributions have been attained.

The committee notes that the local government superannuation scheme is the responsibility of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. However, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has a role regarding public service pensions generally. The committee has deliberated on this matter and has resolved that current legislation does not require amendment on the basis that if a person's pension is based on salary upon actual retirement, then it is appropriate that a person should continue to make pension contributions until actual retirement. The recommendation is that we forward a copy of the response received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to the petitioner for his information and inform him that this petition is now closed. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The final petition is P00001/14 fromMr. David Kelly calling for a referendum to legalise cannabis for both medical and recreational use. The committee has previously deliberated on a similar petition, P00029/13, in regard to legalising cannabis at its meeting of 11December 2013. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan also tabled a Private Members' motion in this regard in November 2013. We have had a chance to deliberate on this but I would like to open it up to members to make recommendations.