Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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1103. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason local authority members are continuing to pay pension levy deductions despite the fact that they are not eligible for any pension payment. [22501/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Under the Local Authority Members (Gratuity) Regulations 2002, as amended by the Local Authority Members (Gratuity) (Amendment) Regulations 2006, a former local authority 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 Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 states 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 a payment in lieu of membership of such a scheme, is subject to a deduction from their remuneration. Additional pension benefits do not arise as a result of this deduction.

The payment of the retirement gratuity to local authority members is a payment in lieu of membership of a pension scheme and, as such, local authority members are subject to the deduction outlined in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009.