Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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63. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will review and amend the public sector single pension scheme introduced in 2013 to reinstate the supplementary pension for members of uniformed services such as firefighters, Defence Forces personnel and members of An Garda Síochána, in recognition of the shortened career span and the inability of many to work beyond early retirement age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24796/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Single Scheme is a statutory Public Service Career-Average Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. It was 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 service 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 improving life expectancy and rising public service employee numbers.

As the Single Scheme uses a career averaging model, a member's retirement benefits are based on a percentage of their pensionable earnings throughout their public service career as a member of the Scheme. For each pay period that a person contributes to the Scheme, they build up an amount towards their retirement benefits. The total of these amounts at retirement, with adjustments for increases in inflation for the amounts earned earlier in a person's career, determines what a person's final retirement benefits will be. This is payable in addition to any Social Welfare pension entitlements a person may have.

Uniformed staff such as firefighters, Prison Officers, members of An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, have enhanced benefits that other members of the Single Scheme do not have. Uniformed staff can accrue more Single Scheme benefits over their expected shorter public service careers in recognition of their earlier retirement age.

When uniformed staff reach normal retirement age, they can retire at that age and receive their retirement lump-sum and the commencement of their occupational pension benefit payments. As Single Scheme pension benefits are integrated with the State Pension (Contributory), these benefits are separate and additional to any entitlement that they may have to the State Pension (Contributory) paid by the Department of Social Protection at State Pension age. It should be noted that as the normal retirement age of fast accrual members of the Single Scheme is lower than that of standard accrual members, it is not defined as “early retirement”.

In 2024, Government enacted Part 11 of the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024. This legislation allowed for an increase in the mandatory retirement age for uniformed staff to 62 years of age, for those who may choose to avail of it. This legislative change also allows uniformed members of the Single Scheme to accrue additional referable amounts towards their occupational pension for the additional years worked, increasing the final value of their Single Scheme pension. This had not been possible previously.

A Supplementary Pension has never been a feature of the Single Scheme, nor was it ever envisaged that it would be. As the State pension age now stands at 66, it is anticipated that most people will have longer active working lives, with the social welfare system continuing to provide a safety net for those who, for health or other reasons, are not in a position to work longer. No commitment has been made by Government in relation to supplementary pensions for Single Scheme fast accrual members.

There are no plans at this time to review the Single Scheme.

Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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64. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 647 of 29 April 2025, if an impact assessment on the effect it would have on pensioners without the means of engaging online was undertaken when the decision to cease issuing payslips to civil and public service pensioners; if so, if a copy of the assessment's findings will be laid in the Library of the Houses of the Oireachtas; if not, the reason it was decided to proceed with the decision to cease issuing payslips without assessing the impact it would have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24798/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of this Parliamentary Question, in line with Standing Order 51(1)(b).

Barry Heneghan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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65. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 646 of 29 April 2025, if he plans to ensure that the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) resumes fulfilling its responsibility for distributing payslips, perhaps with a phased roll-out commencing with for example pensioners aged 70 years and over (details supplied) as opposed to the NSSO ensuring that they are only accessible by electronic means and are available to access 24/7 on the NSSO’s website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24799/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the NSSO that they fulfil their commitment to the distribution of payslips for all payees in line with Government policy which is to do so electronically. As previously explained to the Deputy, in exceptional circumstances the NSSO does make paper payslips available to certain customers to address specific customer needs.