Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 272: To ask the Minister for Finance the percentage of GDP spent by the State on contributory and non-contributory public pension schemes in each of the past 10 years. [21205/06]

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for Finance the direct expenditure by the State on contributory and non-contributory public pension schemes in each of the past 10 years. [21114/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 272 and 286 together.

The Deputy will be aware that as Minister for Finance I have primary responsibility for Civil Service pensions. Other Ministers have primary responsibility for pensions in their own respective areas. Nonetheless, the figures set out in the table represent the Exchequer Pensions Bill, net of contributions, for the years 1996 to 2005 and include pensions paid to the following sectors: Health, Education, Civil Service, Garda, Defence Forces and Non-Commercial State Bodies. The figures do not include pension payments to Local Authority staff (whose pensions are paid from the Local Government Fund), Universities, Commercial State Bodies and other miscellaneous bodies.