Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Minister of State "good morning" and welcome him to the House. I appreciate Deputy Ossian Smyth coming here to take time to listen to this extremely important matter with respect to public service pensions.

I can say since 1995 that the messing and changes being made to public service pensions have rendered the public service the least attractive job in the country but, today, I want to specifically speak about those who are in uniform and who generally are part of an accelerated pension scheme. The post-1995 and pre-2013 pension is the one I am concerned about today. The pension causes significant problems for members of An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, prison officers, firefighters, etc. In all, there are 37,000 members who are affected by this.

Let us look at the case of a garda who is retiring on a post-1995 full pension having paid all of his or her contributions. He or she will receive a pension from two sources. Approximately two thirds of the pension is paid directly into his or her bank account from the Justice budget while the remaining third comes by way of an indirect payment, known as then supplementary pension, and it is paid from the Department of Social Protection. They both amount to roughly 50% or a specific number of eightieths of the person's service.

When the post-1995 members reach the State retirement age, the supplementary portion of the pension is withdrawn and the member moves on to the contributory old age pension. The overall income is not in any way affected. However, a post-1995 member of An Garda Síochána with full contribution paid has no option but to sign on at the Department of Social Protection for jobseeker's benefit in order to receive his or her supplementary pension. This is the only way they can receive that supplementary payment.

In signing on at the Department of Social Protection, this involves the members making a false declaration and that false declaration is something the Department of public expenditure and reform has been aware of for some time. The retired garda in question must sign on stating he or she is ready and willing to take on work when, in fact, he or she is not. If members refuse to sign this declaration because they feel that it is a breach of the ethics that they have upheld all their lives, the Department of Social Protection issues a letter stating that they have no entitlement to jobseeker's benefit as they are unable for work. When the member submits a letter requesting supplementary pension, it is refused on the grounds that it can only be granted by way of jobseeker's benefit. The retired member either loses out on the supplementary or lies and states that he or she is available for work. This has happened. Retired members are left with no choice after 40 years' service - 40 years of upholding the truth and upholding ethics. They must sign a false declaration, which is in blatant breach of everything they have held close to themselves in their lives.

There is no reason a retired member could not be given an option on retirement. If they do not wish to engage in work after retirement, they should simply have their supplementary pension paid directly into their bank account alongside their Garda pension. Those who wish to continue working after retirement - that is a different ball game - can take on work and they can deal with the Department of Social Protection, for example, if they are engaged in casual work.

In particular, retired members of the Garda Síochána, under the present system, have to stand in a post office queue. I ask the Minister of State to imagine the following: a garda, after 40 years' service, standing in a post queue waiting to sign on. In my opinion, it is a highly insulting and most degrading part of this entire fiasco. They are not jobseekers. They are proud retired members of An Garda Síochána, soldiers, firefighters and prison officers.

I am aware of one garda who was shot in the line of duty and, today, he stands in a dole queue in order to get his jobseeker's benefit. I know of another retired member in Cork who stood in a dole queue in a post office and, at the same time, in the queue there were three people on whom this garda had recently served warrants.

I wonder how the Department of public expenditure and reform cannot immediately see the moral injustice of this.