Written answer
Health Services Staff
The Minister said psychiatric nurses’ fast-accrual pensions form part of wider public-service policy, whose amendment would require Government consideration.
3903. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health her views on a matter relating to psychiatric nurses (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63432/26]
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for his question.
Fast accrual is a public service pension policy mechanism and is not specific to any one profession or occupational group. Such arrangements have applied to a range of grades across the public service over time, including psychiatric nurses.
Responsibility for public service pension policy, including fast accrual arrangements, rests with the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
The pension arrangements applicable to psychiatric nurses arose within the broader framework of public service superannuation policy and must be considered in that context.
Any proposal to amend existing pension arrangements would require careful consideration of the policy, legal, operational and financial implications involved and would be a matter for Government in the first instance.