Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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338. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a community employment supervisor who retires before retirement age will receive the gratuity payment upon retirement; if not, if they have to wait until retirement age to receive this payment in view of the retirement deal that was agreed with the unions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38367/22]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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As the Deputy may be aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years through their union representatives, SIPTU and Forsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsoring organisations.    

Agreement was reached in December 2021 between the Department of Social Protection and unions representing CE supervisors and assistant supervisors that resolves this long-standing issue through the payment of a once off ex-gratia payment rather than a pension to eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors.  On the 23rd December 2021, both unions involved confirmed acceptance of this settlement which will benefit approximately 2,500 people employed by CE schemes going back to 2008. It is estimated to have a total cost of over €24 million. 

Generally, under the terms of this settlement, on reaching retirement age, eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors will receive a once off ex-gratia payment in respect of time employed by CE schemes since 2008.  People who retired since 2008 and who have reached retirement age are now able to apply for this payment.

This payment only becomes available to eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors when they reach retirement age with the exception of those who retire on ill health grounds, who can access the payment earlier based on confirmation that their early retirement is as a result of ill health.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.