Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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240. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if a person who was a member of the Defence Forces can carry their Army service into the Civil Service for pension purposes if they take up a position in the Civil Service; if so, the arrangements that apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42003/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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A scheme for the transfer of pensionable service between the pre-existing (pre-2013) pension schemes of certain public sector bodies is facilitated by way of the Public Sector Transfer Network (PSTN).

That scheme has its origins in section 4 of the Superannuation and Pensions Act 1963, which provides that a person who is employed in a pensionable capacity in an “approved organisation”, may transfer pensionable service from one approved organisation to another. Collectively, these approved organisations make up the PSTN. The rules governing transfer of service in pre-existing public service pension schemes are primarily set out in a Department of Finance Letter to Personnel Officers (24 April 1979) - ‘Draft Transfer Scheme’ and also in a Letter to Personnel Officers (30 January 1981) - ‘Transfer of Service for Superannuation Purposes’.

For a transfer of pensionable service to be permitted, both bodies are required to be members of the PSTN and the eligibility criteria set out in the 1979 transfer scheme must be met. I can confirm that both the Civil Service and Defence Forces are members of the PSTN. Applications for transfers of service should be directed to the HR or pension administration section of the individual’s employer, who are best placed to advise on whether the relevant eligibility criteria are met and a transfer of service is permissible.

Please note that transfers of pensionable service can only take place between pre-existing pension schemes. The Single Scheme does not operate on the basis of “pensionable service” and is therefore not covered by the PSTN. The transfer provisions of that scheme relate to money amounts and are set out in DPER Circular 15/2019.