Ciarán Ahern (Dublin South West, Labour)
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642. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the roles under the employment of the State which are excluded from the single public service pension scheme and are without an occupational pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46524/25]

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. It was established on 1 January 2013 under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012. Public service pension schemes established prior to the enactment of the Single Scheme Act are generally referred to as “pre-existing schemes”.

The provisions of the Single Scheme are clearly set out in law. All pensionable public servants hired after 1 January 2013 are members of the Single Scheme. There are a limited numbers of exemptions to Single Scheme membership set out in the 2012 Act, such as where a member of a pre-existing public service pension scheme leaves such a role and returns to a pensionable public service role within 26 weeks, giving them a right to remain in a pre-existing public scheme.

The Schedule of the 2012 Act references a number of organisations to which the Single Scheme does not apply, as staff within those organisations are not deemed to be public servants. It is open to those bodies to operate an occupational pension scheme for staff in pensionable roles, but those schemes are not public service pension schemes.

It is a matter for parent Departments, in the first instance, to advise on the pension status of specific cohorts of staff within organisations in their sector or to define if specific roles meet “public servant” status. This would be informed by engagement with my Department, with a view to tracking future expenditure and accrued liabilities, and ensuring that public service numbers remain sustainable. Any changes to pensionable status requires sanction from my Department.  My Department does not have a list of all non pensionable roles in the public service.

The Government’s new Auto Enrolment scheme “My Future Fund” will provide all workers, who do not have access to an occupational pension scheme with a mechanism for retirement saving. It is expected to be implemented from 1 January 2026.