Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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230. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if consideration will be given to permitting those who retired early from the public service or State agencies to take up employment again in the public service or State agencies without losing their current public service or State agency pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30292/23]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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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. 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 public service 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. Where a person returns to work in the private sector the public service pension is not subject to abatement.

Abatement policy is 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 operation of abatement is monitored on an ongoing basis, there are no current plans to review pension abatement policy.