Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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718. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the protocol for outgoing town councillors to access their retirement gratuity payment; if it is the case that payments will not be available until former councillors reach 50 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13919/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Retirement gratuity arrangements for elected local authority members are regulated by the Local Authority Members (Gratuity) Regulations 2002 , as amended by the Local Authority Members (Gratuity) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 .

Under these Regulations, a former member is entitled to a retirement gratuity of 4/20ths of the Representational Payment for each year of service, up to a maximum of 20 years' service. The gratuity is automatically paid on retirement at or after the age of 50, but payment before age 50 may be made where retirement is due to permanent infirmity or where the member dies in office. Where a person ceases to be a member before age 50, whether voluntarily or as a result of failure to be re-elected, the gratuity will be paid when the person reaches age 50 and will be based on the representational payment applicable at that point.