Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 222: To ask the Minister for Finance if, further to his budget 2010 speech, he will apply the proposed public sector pension reforms to public servants who are due to retire in 2011 and beyond; if these proposed reforms will only apply to new public servants in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48276/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In the Budget I announced that there would be a new single public service pension scheme introduced for new entrants to the public service. Relevant legislation will be introduced in 2010 and the scheme will be in place by the end of the year. The introduction of a single pension scheme will provide a standard, consistent and efficient structure for the future management and control of public service pensions. As this reform is for new entrants, it will not apply to those who are currently in the public service.

The Budget also made clear that the Government will consider using the Consumer Price Index as the basis for post-retirement increases for both existing and future pensioners.

I would add that the term public sector is usually taken to comprise all those who are employed, both directly and indirectly, by a public body. The public service is, broadly speaking, the public sector less the commercial semi-state bodies.