200. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether he will commission an independent review of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme arrangements for uniformed services with fast-accrual pension terms, including disparities with pre-2013 arrangements and the income gap before State Pension age; and if not, the reasons for this decision. [66449/26]

The Single Public Service Pension Scheme is a statutory Public Service Career-Average Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. It was established under the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.

The provisions of the Single Scheme are clearly set out in law. All new-entrant public servants hired after 1 January 2013 are members of the Single Scheme. This includes uniformed members in An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces, full-time Firefighters and Prison Officers.

The introduction of the Single Scheme is central to ensuring the long term sustainability of public service pensions, particularly in the context of improved life expectancy and rising public service employee numbers. The most recent valuation of the State’s Accrued Liability in respect of public service retirement benefits calculates the overall liability to be €175.7bn, which is payable over the next 70 years or so. The annual pension bill for the public service is currently at €5.3bn; this is projected to increase to a peak of €9.8bn in 2055.

Despite the broader trend in the private sector towards closing defined benefit schemes, the Single Scheme remains a defined benefit pension arrangement, albeit based on career average remuneration.

Uniformed members - Firefighters, Prison Officers, Gardaí and the Defence Forces - have enhanced benefits that other Single Scheme members do not have. These members accrue benefits at a faster rate due to their earlier Mandatory Retirement Age.

In 2024, in recognition of individuals seeking to work longer, Government enacted legislation to permit Uniformed staff to remain in service until age 62, should they wish to. This move allows members to build-up a higher pension than previously, increasing the final value of their Single Scheme pension. On retirement, subject to having reached their Normal Retirement Age, members receive their Single Scheme pension and lump sum immediately. Any further changes to Mandatory Retirement Ages for Uniformed staff are matters, in the first instance, for relevant line departments and it is my and my Department's view that this is the more appropriate means of addressing retirement issues for Uniformed staff.

There are no plans at this time to commission a review of the Single Scheme, including the Fast Accrual elements. Occupational Supplementary Pensions (OSPs) are not a feature of the Single Scheme and were not envisaged to be.