Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the Deputy is referring to the policy in relation to pension increases for retired members of An Garda Síochána focusing in particular on the impact of changes in the treatment of rent allowance for retired members of An Garda Síochána.

With effect from January 2017 there was an increase of €500 in the rate of rent allowance and this allowance was simultaneously consolidated into the salary scale for serving members of An Garda Síochána. The application of the pension increase policy in circumstances such as these was not explicitly provided under the existing pension increase policy. As a result, the matter had to be reviewed by my Department and specific guidance drawn up.

I can inform the Deputy that my Department issued a communication in January 2021 which allows the Department of Justice to calculate and pay the appropriate pension increases, taking account of the rent allowance changes, in respect of affected Garda pensions.

The effective date is 1 September 2017 (the date from which the new pension increase policy agreed by Government came into effect). However, the exact date on which any individual pensioner will qualify for pension increases, if due, will depend on his or her individual pension circumstances.

Arrears of pension will be calculated and paid to qualifying pension recipients as appropriate. The Department of Justice is responsible for processing these increases.