Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for their comments. I should explain to those Members of the House who were not in attendance at the Select Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform. Vote 12 relates to the payment of pension entitlements to retiring civil servants. Some 1,100 have worked all their lives in the Civil Service and are entitled to their pensions. I am anxious that they are paid. The reason for the Supplementary Estimate is that there are 250 more than we estimated. However, it varies every year because we cannot predict exactly the number of civil servants who will retire. It was 1,100 this year and was 850 last year. They are entitled to be paid their pensions.

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