Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 346: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of retired members of the Garda Siochána in receipt of pensions without the pension benefit of those allowances which were made pensionable from 1 January 1993; the cost of awarding the pension benefit of these allowances to those persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33375/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

With effect from 1 January 1993, unsocial hours allowance, which covers night duty, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays was made pensionable under the Garda Síochána pension scheme. There are 1,446 Garda pensioners who retired prior to 1 January 1993 and who do not receive the benefit of unsocial hours allowance in their pensions. The current annual average rate of pension payable in respect of unsocial hours allowances is approximately €4,000 per Garda member. The current annual cost to the Exchequer of awarding a pension based on unsocial hours allowances to those members who are not in receipt of such pension benefits is estimated at €5,784,000.

There are also a number of Garda widow's pensions in payment to the widows and children of deceased members who retired prior to the date in question. However, it is not possible to readily ascertain the cost of paying unsocial hours benefit to these pensioners.

The position on the pensionability of Garda allowances is that the Government decided in September 2001 to accept the thrust of the package of reforms recommended by the Commission on Public Service Pensions and to establish a working group to advise on implementation, as provided for in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. Parallel structures with the same remit were established in the case of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The operational details of the implementation of the commission recommendations have been agreed by Government following receipt of a report from the implementation working group and a report from the Garda parallel working group.

The commission considered the issue of parity of pensions for members of the Garda Síochána who retired prior to 1993 who do not receive the unsocial allowance element in their pensions, and for those who retired prior to 1982 who do not receive rent and other allowance elements in their pensions. The commission also examined the specific issue of the pensionability of allowances for members of the Garda Síochána and others, as part of its deliberations, but having assessed the arguments, did not recommend any increase in pension for the groups involved. Having regard to the commission's report, I have no plans to initiate a further review on the matter.