Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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131. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to end pension abatement for post-2012 entrants into the Defence Forces who take up a position in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35096/22]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the principle of abatement of a public service pension is longstanding within the rules of various public service pension schemes and pension abatement is an important aspect of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 (the Single Scheme Act).  

The Act provides for the abatement of a public service pension where a retired public servant, whose pension is in payment, is re-employed in the public service such that no more of the pension when combined with the remuneration in the new position shall exceed the pensionable remuneration of the old position.  It should be noted that it is the pension which is abated and not the salary in the new position.  The measure applies across the public service, including the Defence Forces.

Abatement policy remains a key component of Public Service pension policy and addresses valid concerns about simultaneous payment of both pension and salary in the Public service.  While the high level operation of abatement is monitored on an ongoing basis, there are no current plans to review pension abatement policy as it applies to specific sectors of the public service.