Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 313: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has approved an amendment to the superannuation scheme of University College Cork to permit an employee to extend their compulsory retirement age to 68.5 years; if so, the terms and conditions of this amendment; the implications for the compulsory retirement age of other staff at the same university, at other universities and in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19483/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Universities Act 1997, any amendment to the superannuation scheme of University College Cork requires the approval of the Higher Education Authority and the consent of the Minister for Education and Science and the Minister for Finance. In my capacity as Minister for Finance, I recently consented to an amendment to the superannuation scheme of University CollegeCork. The amendment provided that the present holder of the office of president of University College Cork shall hold office for a period of ten years from 26 January 1999. By making such provision, the amendment removed the requirement to retire at age 65 from the present holder of the office. The text of the amendment is contained in statute J of UCC. I understand that, as required under the provisions of the Universities Act 1997, the statute will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas in due course, as a statutory instrument, by my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science.

The Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 removed the requirement to retire on age grounds from most public servants who were appointed on or after 1 April 2004. The compulsory retirement age for staff in the education sector who were appointed before that date is primarily a matter for the Minister for Education and Science.