Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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477. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the annual pensions paid to each retired member of the Judiciary in each of the years 2011 to 2016, in tabular form. [9588/17]

Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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478. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the details of individual lump sum payments made to a retiring member of the Judiciary for each of the years 2011 to 2016, in tabular form. [9589/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 477 and 478 together.

The following pension conditions apply to members of the judiciary:

(1) Benefits:The benefits provided are lump sum and pension on retirement.

(2) Membership:The members of the Scheme are the Judges of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court, the Circuit Court and the District Court (note all new entrants to the public service on or after 1 January 2013 are in the Single Public Service Pension Scheme).

(3) Contributions:The Scheme is non-contributory.

(4) Retirement conditions:  The normal age of retirement varies as between the different groups of Scheme members. For Judges of the District Court, it is age 65, but these members may be retained in pensionable service on a year-to-year basis beyond that age up to age 70. For Judges of the Circuit Court, High Court, court of Appeal and Supreme Court it is age 70 for members appointed on or after 15 December 1995. Judges of the Higher Courts may retire voluntarily with pension and lump sum benefits if they attain the appropriate agebefore reaching their compulsory retirement age. The appropriate age in this context means:

(a) the age at which a Judge completes the service required for maximum benefits (15 years' service); or

(b) age 65

whichever age is later.

(5) Calculation of Pension and Lump Sum:Pension and lump sum benefits are calculated by reference to (i) total reckonable service and (ii) salary on the last day of service. A minimum of 5 years' reckonable service is required for benefit, and part years are reckoned on a pro rata basis.

Pension comprises 

1. in the case of Judges of the District Court, 1/40th of salary per year of service; (b) in the case of other Judges, 1/40th of salary for each of the first 5 years' service and 3/80ths of salary for each subsequent year of service; subject in all cases to a maximum of 40/80ths (i.e. half salary).

Lump Sum comprises

1. in the case of Judges of the District Court who retire on or after 19 December 1996, 6/80ths of salary per year of service; (b) in the case of Judges of the higher courts who retire on or after 19 December 1998, 6/80ths of salary for each of the first 5 years' service and 18/160ths of salary for each subsequent year of service, subject in all cases to a maximum of 120/80ths (i.e. one and one half years' salary).

For details of the actual amount paid each year with respect to  pensions, retirement lump sums and death gratuities relating to judicial services, I refer the Deputy to Statement 1.4 to the Finance Accounts, available on the website of the Department of Finance. This discloses this information for each calendar year from 2009 onwards. The 2016 accounts have not yet been published.