Written answers

Wednesday, 28 November 2018

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Public Sector Allowances

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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132. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of injury warrants issued historically by his Department for members of the Irish Prison Service, An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49807/18]

Photo of Paschal DonohoePaschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Civil Service Injury Warrants are a series of statutory instruments made under the Superannuation Acts. They provide additional benefits over and above normal pension entitlements, to or in respect of officers who, through no fault of their own, are killed or injured in the performance of their duties. The injury must be attributable to the nature of their duties.

An annual allowance may be granted to an officer who is forced to retire as a result of their injuries, or in respect of an officer who dies within 7 years and as a result of the injury. Special gratuities may be granted in cases of death or injury in the course of duty while travelling by air, or as a direct result of war, insurrection or civil unrest.

Members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and An Garda Síochána are not civil servants and so do not come within the scope of the Superannuation Acts. Therefore they are not eligible for Civil Service Injury Warrants. However, I understand sectoral provisions, similar in purpose to the Injury Warrants, exist for members of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and an Garda Síochána under their respective pension schemes. Further information on the numbers of awards granted under these provisions will be available from the Ministers for Defence and Justice and Equality, respectively.

In relation to Prison Officers, and civilian employees of an Garda Síochána and the Defences Forces, who fall under the Superannuation Acts, no Injury Warrants have been awarded to former officers who fall into these categories in the last 20 years. The information sought by the Deputy in relation to possible Injury Warrant awards granted before this time is not readily available and its compilation would involve a disproportionate amount of time and work.

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