Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will review the pension levy which applies to retained firemen on the grounds that they only qualify for gratuity on retirement and when the gratuity is calculated on their retainer; the reason the levy applies to their hourly rate in view of the fact that this rate is not included for gratuity purposes; if he will also take into consideration the fact that no pension scheme was available to these firemen until 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11147/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I undertook during the Dáil debate on the pension-related deduction to have the case of the retained firefighters examined to see if there are exceptional circumstances with regard to this group of public servants. That examination is in progress.

It is no longer the case that they qualify only for gratuity on retirement, as they have been given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme, a fact to which the Deputy refers. In any event, the deduction is not limited to members of public service pension schemes, as it also applies to public servants who receive a payment in lieu of membership of such a scheme.

The deduction applies to remuneration as defined in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. Such remuneration is not confined to pensionable pay or pay on which gratuities are based.