Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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323. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the actions that are being taken to improve the retention and recruitment levels in An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5502/24]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Single Public Service Pension Scheme is a statutory Public Service Career-Average Defined Benefit Pension Scheme, established on 1 January 2013 under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.

The entitlements of the Single Scheme are clearly set out in law and were enacted on 28 July 2012. All new entrant public servants, including members of An Garda Síochána, hired after 1 January 2013 are members of the Single Scheme. The introduction of the Single Scheme is the biggest change to public pensions since the formation of the state, and has been instrumental in ensuring the sustainability of the Public Service pension bill for decades to come, while public service employee numbers continue to increase.

It should be noted that while career averaging pension schemes are common across the public and private sectors, Defined Benefit schemes are no longer commonly available in the private sector, where Defined Contribution schemes are more common. It is generally agreed that Defined Benefit schemes are more beneficial for the employee, due to the fixed nature of such schemes during a person's membership.

Staff retention issues within individual public sector organisations are generally a matter for the employing organisation, who may employ tools such as exit interviews with departing staff to identify reasons for leaving.

My Department does not have any evidence, at this time, to indicate that the Single Scheme is contributing to staff retention issues across the public sector, or within An Garda Síochána specifically.