Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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157. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) will receive a pension increase due on 1 January 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17233/19]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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The pension increase referred to by the Deputy is provided for under the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 02/2018.  It should be noted that the pension increase policy in respect of the basic pay increases over the period 2018–2020 have been agreed as part of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018–2020 (PSSA) and legislated for under the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 (the 2017 Act).

Circular 02 of 2018  states “the basic pay increases over the 2018–2020 period will be passed on to the pensions of pre-March 2012 retirees only where the pay level on which their pension is based does not exceed the actual pay level of serving staff in the same grade and on the same payscale point”.

I have been informed by SOLAS, the paying agent for this pension that this pensioner retired prior to March 2012 and that the associated salary that they retired on is higher than the corresponding salary currently in payment (to serving personnel). 

Therefore in accordance with the circular, this pensioner does not have an entitlement to the 1 January 2018 pay increase.