Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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480. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 1108 of 5 February 2025, if there has been a change since 2022 to the criteria required to deem a person incapable on medical grounds of regular and effective service, which would allow a HSE employee to retire on grounds of ill health; if the bar for employees seeking to retire on grounds of ill health has been raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11985/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP and Reform, I have responsibility for the non-pay terms and conditions of civil servants. The provisions relating to ill-health retirement for those civil servants who are not members of the Public Service Pension Scheme, are set out in the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956, as amended, and Circular 22/07:- Ill-Health Retirement from the Civil Service.

The Single Public Service Pension Scheme was introduced by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 and applies to all new-entrant pensionable public service employees since 1 January 2013. Section 29 of the Act deals with retirement on medical grounds and the benefits and criteria are set out further in Guidance Note 1 of 2017.

Sections 29(3) to 29(5) of the 2012 Act set out the legislative requirements in relation to the medical assessment associated with the approval of a retirement or discharge of a Scheme member on medical grounds. Medical assessments and criteria for approving ill-health retirement are specific to each sector.

More generally, any other provisions for ill health retirement for public sector healthcare workers are a matter for the Minister for Health and the Health Service Executive.

Links to documents referred to:

www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2012/act/37/enacted/en/html

singlepensionscheme.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/guidance_note_1_2017.pdf

www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1956/act/46/enacted/en/html

circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/finance/2007/22.pdf