Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will provide a breakdown of numbers and grades of members of the Gardaí who have applied to the public service early retirement scheme; and if he will supply a breakdown of the stations to which these retirees are currently attached. [7035/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Public servants, including Gardaí, who retire on or before 29th February 2012 will receive pension benefits based on their salary scales applicable on 31st December 2009 andthey, like others presently in receipt of public service pensions, will pay a Public Service Pension Reduction (P.S.P.R.) on their pensions thereafter. This reduction is a scaled percentage of their actual pension. Public servants, including Gardaí, who retire after 29th February will receive pension benefits based on their then current salary scales (as already affected by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009)but they will not pay the Public Service Pension Reduction on their pensions. Members of An Garda Síochána who are over 50 years of age and do not have 30 years service may also avail of a cost neutral early retirement (C.N.E.R.) scheme. Their pension and lumps sums are actuarially reduced depending on their length of service and age at the time of retirement. I have been informed by the Commissioner that since 1 January 2010, 3 members have availed of this scheme, details of which are in the table below. Almost all Gardaí take voluntary retirement i.e. they leave before the compulsory retirement age of 60 years of age - in 2010 there were 353 voluntary retirements, 9 compulsory retirements and 1 CNER, and in 2011 there 428 voluntary retirements, 8 compulsory retirements and 2 CNER's.

Cost Neutral Early Retirements - 01.01.10 – 29.02.12 (as at 06.02.12)