asked the Minister for the Public Service the present position in relation to transferability rights from one State or semi-State employment to another.

A comprehensive scheme for the transfer of service for superannuation purposes has been operating since 1980. The scheme covers transfers between the Civil Service, the Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, national and secondary teachers and other participating organisations. A person transferring between two participating organisations on or after the agreed operative date — which must not be before 1 June 1973 — automatically transfers service for superannuation purposes. The scheme may also be applied, at the discretion of the final employing organisation, to persons who transferred before the operative date and are still serving on that date and, in so far as pensions are concerned, to persons who retired before the operative date.