Tom Brabazon (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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94. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he plans to review the provisions of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012, especially in the context of its impact on retention in certain parts of the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4917/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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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 provisions of the Single Scheme are clearly set out in law and were enacted on 28 July 2012. All new-entrant public servants 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, particularly in the context of rising public service employee numbers.

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 benefits, which is an attractive feature of the Single Scheme.

Staff retention issues within individual public sector organisations are generally a matter for the employing organisation. 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.

The Single Scheme is currently not under review.