Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has costed the pension payments due to the marriage bar should it be decided that they should receive a pension for the years they were unable to work; and if so, the figure to provide a pension for those women. [22131/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As regards the Civil Service for which I am directly responsible, prior to 1974 female officers were required to resign on marriage and, depending on their service, received a marriage gratuity in lieu of any pension benefits. Following the abolition of the marriage bar, any officer appointed before 1974 has the option of resigning within two years of marriage and receiving a marriage gratuity, preserving benefits when she resigns, or of remaining in employment. Officers who received a marriage gratuity and who are subsequently reappointed in an established capacity in the civil service may refund the gratuity with compound interest and have all prior service aggregated with subsequent service for superannuation purposes. I have no plans to pay pensions other than on reckonable service which is the cornerstone of Public Service Pensions. Given the accrued liabilities to date we are working towards containing costs, not increasing them.