Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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357. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to examine issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) and to assist in resolution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25381/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, I have overall policy responsibility in relation to public service occupational pension schemes payable to retired public servants. Responsibility for the administration of sectoral pension schemes and the processing of individual pension cases resides with the relevant Government Department or public service body in the first instance, subject to the overarching policy framework set out by my Department.

The issues raised in the correspondence provided by the Deputy relate to PRSI status, as well as pension scheme rules. Any changes to an individual's PRSI status are a matter for the Department of Social Protection (DSP).

In the context of public service pensions, where a person is fully insured under Social Welfare regulations, their occupational pension is generally integrated with the social insurance system, i.e. in calculating the pension payable to an individual, account is taken of any social insurance benefits to which an individual has an entitlement.

In the case of public servants, an Occupational Supplementary Pension (OSP) may be payable, by their employer, to bridge a shortfall in the overall pension entitlement subject to meeting certain criteria as follows:

1. The public service pensioner must have reached minimum pension age in accordance with their pension scheme rules or retired on grounds of ill-health.
2. The individual must in receipt of their occupational pension and that pension must be subject to integration.
3. The individual must not be engaged in full-time paid employment or in self-employment.
4. The individual must not have claimed any “relevant” social insurance benefits (as defined in Circular 12/2024) or where they have claimed Relevant Benefit, they must fail to qualify for such benefit at the maximum rate of the SPC; and
5. The failure to qualify for a social insurance benefit must be due to causes outside his or her control.