Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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52. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to provide increases in public service pensions of €12,000 or less; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20199/19]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In order to address the question, I would first advise the Deputy of the existing pension increase policies in place for public service pensions.

The current pension increase policy applying to pensions awarded under pre-existing public service pension schemes (i.e. excluding the Single Pension Scheme) was agreed as part of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA). This policy is essentially a time-limited (expires end-2020) resumption of the non-statutory pension increase arrangements, sometimes known as pay parity, which formerly prevailed, but which lapsed in 2010. Under that policy, pay increases applied to serving staff over the course of the PSSA are passed on to those pensions where the salary on which the pension is based, in any case, does not exceed the salary of a serving staff member with the same grade and scale point, after the pay increase has been applied. If it qualifies, the pension is eligible for an increase to the extent that this will ensure alignment with the pay of serving staff.

As regards pensions payable under the Single Pension Scheme, the pension scheme introduced for new entrants to the public service from 2013 onwards, the relevant legislation provides that pensions are uprated in line with CPI increases.

I have no plans to provide increases in public service pensions of €12,000 or less other than in accordance with the policies I have outlined.