Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 June 2026
253. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of retired staff with pension entitlement within his Department who have seen their pension subjected to pension abatement following re-entering employment in the public sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44801/26]
View answerPension abatement is a principle which provides that where a retired public servant is re-engaged in the public service, their pension is abated (reduced) to the extent that their combined pension and remuneration would otherwise exceed the pensionable pay applicable to the post in which they were previously employed.
The principle is designed to ensure that a retired public servant does not receive a financial benefit from re-engagement over and above what they would have earned had they remained in their original post.
Abatement applies as a matter of policy to all retired public servants re-engaged in the public service. Whether abatement results in an actual reduction in pension in any individual case is dependent on the relationship between the individual’s pension entitlement and their re-engagement remuneration.
I am informed by the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) that as of 9 June 2026, there are two retired staff of my Department on the pension payroll database with a pension abatement.
