Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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350. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the timeframe for the full restoration of the public service pensions cut under FEMPI. [8109/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 362 on 24 January 2017.

The FEMPI measure in respect of public service pensioners is the Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR).  The PSPR reduces the pay-out value of pensions with pre-PSPR values above specified thresholds in a progressively structured way which has a proportionately greater effect on higher value pensions.  At all times, public service pensions up to a value of €12,000 have been unaffected by PSPR, while a higher exemption threshold of €32,500 has applied to pensions awarded from 1 March 2012 onwards.

PSPR is being significantly reversed in three stages under FEMPI 2015, with PSPR-affected pensioners getting pension increases via substantial restoration of the PSPR cuts on 1 January 2016, 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2018.  When fully rolled-out from 1 January 2018, the changes will mean that all public service pensions with pre-PSPR values of up to €34,132 will be fully exempt from PSPR, while those pensioners not fully removed from the reach of PSPR will, in the majority of cases, benefit by €1,680 per year. The cost of these changes is estimated at about €90 million on a full-year basis from 2018.

As we move beyond FEMPI and PSPR restoration towards more normal pay and pension setting conditions in the public service, the issue of how to adjust the post-award value of public service pensions through appropriate pay or other linkages will be considered by Government.