David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of prisoner officers who applied for early retirement every month for the past 12 months; the number of applications for early retirement which are currently being processed; the number expected to apply for early retirement in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14572/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy may be aware that the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004 made significant changes to the Civil Service Superannuation Scheme. That Act increased to 55 the minimum age at which superannuation benefits may be paid to 'new entrants' to the Prison Service. Whilst the compulsory retirement age for members of the Prison Service remains unchanged at 60 years, staff who entered the Irish Prison Service prior to 2004, can retire with full pension entitlements at age 50 provided they have 30 years actual prison service.

Having set out the current provisions I am assuming that the Deputy is seeking information on Prison Officers who applied to retire before reaching 50 years and, accordingly, details of officers who may have retired early on grounds of ill health have not been incorporated in the reply. The Director General of the Prison Service informs me that there have been no applications for early retirement in the last 12 months and no early retirement applications are being processed at the current time.

I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible for the Irish Prison Service to predict, with any degree of certainty, what level of application(s) may or may not be made for early retirement over the next 12 months.