Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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373. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 19 October 2016, the reason provision was not made in the revised scheme for refunds of the spouse's and children's payment to be claimed by persons without a spouse or a child, in view of the fact that such a provision had existed previously; and the provisions in the revised scheme that preclude such a refund. [32101/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Revised Spouses' and Children's Scheme was introduced, in agreement with staff interests, via Circular 16/1984 on 1 September 1984. The major revisions related to eligible beneficiaries and refunds of contributions. The Revised scheme now caters for post-retirement marriages and children which was not the case in the Original scheme. Additionally, children born out of wedlock and adopted children and step-children post-retirement are now deemed eligible beneficiaries which was not the case previously - Paragraph 2 of the Circular refers.

As the scheme now extends to cover post-retirement events it was not deemed possible to offer a refund of contributions.

In relation to refunds of contributions, Paragraph 3 of this Circular states;

"Arising from the additional benefits being provided under the new scheme, the contribution conditions governing that scheme will differ to those applicable to the existing scheme, in that the provisions for refund of periodic contributions will be more restrictive. Specifically, the provisions in the existing scheme for (a) full refund of periodic contributions to members who remain unmarried throughout their contributing membership and (b) partial refund of periodic contributions to certain members whose spouses are deceased at the time they retire or resign, will not apply. Under the new scheme, the only circumstances in which any refund of periodic contributions would be due is where a member retires or resigns without entitlement to pension or to preserved pension and does not transfer his/her service to another employment or where a member pays periodic contributions for a period in excess of 40 years".

Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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374. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 19 October 2016, if the dependent children of an unmarried person who dies after retirement are eligible for a child's pension in the same way that the children of a married person are. [32102/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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For members of the Revised Spouses' and Children's Scheme i.e. anyone appointed on or after 1 September 1984 or those appointed before that date who opted to join the scheme, dependent children are entitled to receive a pension in respect of their parent's civil service pension irrespective of the marital status of their parent. Dependent children must be under 16 years of age or under 22 and in full-time education. In cases of permanent physical or mental impairment a pension may be continued for life.

For members of the Original Scheme i.e. male officers appointed on or after 1 January 1969 and before 1 September 1984 and female officers appointed on or after 1 June 1981 neither of whom opted to join the Revised scheme, there are certain restrictions on the payment of a child's pension. No pension is payable where the child was conceived or adopted post retirement, nor is a pension payable in the case of any step children of a post-retirement marriage, non-marital children of members or the children of a marriage where a member is widowed before joining the scheme and does not remarry before retirement/resignation.