Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 895: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the legal basis by which the Church of Ireland College of Education can impose accounting procedures that would allow it to set off any possible debt that might be owed by them to a person (details supplied) against any possible debt that the person might owe to the primary section of her Department. [14722/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The pension awarded to the person in question is payable under the Colleges of Education Pension Scheme which is administered by the College in question. Under that particular scheme there is provision for abatement of pension where a person following retirement takes up certain public service employment. Under the abatement rules pension is reduced where the aggregate of the new pay together with the pension in payment exceeds the rate of pay on which the pension is based.

The College, in accordance with its Pension Scheme provisions, has applied abatement to the pension with respect to certain periods of employment as a primary teacher. It is offsetting the overpayment of pension already made against arrears of pension which would otherwise be payable to the person.

It is important to note that where abatement arises it is the pension that is reduced rather than the salary from the subsequent employment. The abatement in this case is not determined on the basis of monies being owed to my Department.