Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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128. To ask the Minister for Defence the number of defined benefit pension schemes currently listed for employees under his remit; the number that are in deficit; his plans to consolidate any of these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41287/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The requested information in respect of civil servants of the Department of Defence or civilian employees employed with the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.   As regards members of the PDF, there are two distinct sets of defined benefit occupational pension schemes in place (including associated spouses and children’s schemes), the provisions of which vary depending on date of joining, rank etc.  These relate (i) to personnel who joined the PDF before 1 January 2013 as provided pursuant to the Defence Forces Pensions Acts 1932 to 2004; and (ii) those who joined the PDF on or after 1 January 2013 as provided under the Public Service (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.

None of these schemes are in deficit in that, like all other public service pension schemes generally, there is no ‘pension fund’ as such and all expenditure on superannuation benefits is met on a pay-as-you-go basis by the Exchequer from current revenue.  In the case of the PDF, this is achieved through the Army Pensions Vote (35) which is audited each year by the Comptroller & Auditor General.  There are no plans to consolidate any of these schemes.