Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason part time fire-fighters are not entitled to a pension although they are paying a pension levy [19196/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009, provides that any public servant, who is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme or receives payment in lieu of membership in such a scheme, is subject to a deduction from their remuneration.

In 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS). Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the annual retainer multiplied by the number of years of actual service (up to a maximum of four times the annual retainer). This is a payment in lieu of membership of a pension scheme and as such retained fire-fighters are subject to the deduction provided for in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, 2009.

All retained fire-fighters appointed after 1 January 2013 must join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.