Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 June 2026
283. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the situation regarding years of service spent teaching in the UK not being deemed as reckonable service for the purpose of retirement from teaching under the 55/35 scheme, even though those same years are recognised as years of service under the service allowance from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46514/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 55/35 arrangement is provided for under the terms of the pre-2013 public service pension schemes, as set out in the relevant statutory instruments governing teachers’ superannuation.
In particular, the requirement that reckonable service must arise within employments that are part of the Public Sector Transfer Network reflects a long-standing and consistent policy approach across all public service pension schemes.
These provisions apply uniformly across the public service, and there is no facility within the current legislative framework to reckon service completed outside the Irish public service for the purposes of meeting the qualifying conditions.
Overseas service, including service in the public sectors of other jurisdictions, is therefore not reckonable for Irish pension purposes, notwithstanding that such service may give rise to separate pension entitlements abroad.
This position is not specific to teachers but applies across comparable public service pension schemes. Any change to these arrangements would therefore involve wider public service pension policy considerations and would need to be examined in that broader context.
It should also be noted that matters relating to pension scheme or eligibility criteria fall to be considered through the established public service industrial relations and collective bargaining frameworks, in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
This department must administer the schemes in accordance with the governing legislation and with agreed public service pension policy.
