Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Independent)
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835. To ask the Minister for Defence if four years full-time service in the Army will count towards pension entitlements in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45739/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Under the Defence Forces Pensions Schemes, pensionable service, in general, consists of full-time service in the Permanent Defence Force (PDF). Service in the Fórsa Cosanta Áitiúil (FCA) is not generally reckonable as pensionable service. However, in certain specified situations, service by members of the FCA engaged on full time security duties may be reckoned and aggregated with pensionable service in the PDF. This applies in the case of former members of the FCA who were assimilated into the PDF under special arrangements made in 1982 and 1988/89 or who enlisted in the PDF outside of those special arrangements and were in service on 1 January, 1990.

The person in question, who was a member of the FCA and did not serve in the PDF, does not fall within any of the above categories. Therefore, his service in the FCA is not reckonable under the provisions of the Defence Forces Pensions Schemes and consequently is not transferable to any other State organisation for superannuation purposes.