Superannuation Pension Scheme 1977/1985
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It's minimum 60 and compulsory at 65.
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If you mean "normal retirement age" for access to pension benefits, then it is 60.
Hi Slim, thanks for getting back to me. Would you know if is there any legalisation or Superannuation Act where it states the minimum age?
Thanks
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You are very slim on details in your query. Does it relate to preserved benefits? If so, this 1975 circular may be relevant :https://circulars.gov.ie/pdf/letter/finance/1975/2.pdf Extract:
"12.(1)An officer who resigns voluntarily after at least 5 years' service will, provided he cannot benefit under paragraph 11 above, or otherwise, have his pension' lump sum and death benefits preserved. Pension and lump sumwill be paid as from age 60 upon application for payment being made. If he dies before age 60 a death gratuity equivalent to the lump sum (i.e. based on actual service only) will be payable. If he was a member of the contributory widows' and children's scheme and leaves a widow whomhemarried before he resigned, she, and any of their children conceived before his resignation, will be eligible for pensions in accordance with the terms of the contributory scheme. Such pensions will, however, be based on actual service only (credit will not be given for potential service). Any contributions due in respect of prior service reckonable under the contributory widows' and children's scheme will be deducted fromthe lump sumor death gratuity.
(2) The preserved benefits will be based or actual reckonable service and on the officer's pensionable remuneration as increased by reference to pensions increases granted in the interim. Any contributions due under the contributory widows' and children's scheme will also be based on such pensionable remuneration.
Example: An Assistant Principal resigns in 1975 having given 20 years' pensionable service; his date of birth is 20 April, 1935. His pension and lump sum will come into payment on 20 April, 1995. Any widows' and children's scheme contribution due in respect of service prior to 1 January 1969 will be deducted from the lump sum. The pension, lump sum and contributions will be based upon the rate of pensionable remuneration which would then be appropriate under the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1964, if the pension had been awarded at the date of resignation.
(3) It should be noted that there is no right to re-employment following voluntary resignation or transfer of service.
(4) Where an officer proposes to resign with preserved benefits hisDepartment should complete a form E Gen 8 in respect of him and advise him of the need to apply for the payment of the preserved benefits when he reaches age 60. In order to enable consideration to be given to the possibility of transferring his service, the officer should let his Department know what employment he is taking up. A copy of the E Gen 8 should be forwarded to this Department."
You will find a list of relevant legislation and circulars on Superannuation up to 2006 in Appendix 1 in this document :http://www.cspensions.gov.ie/SuperannuationHandbookandGuidanceDec20061.pdf
Thanks for that
Thank you for the information, I preserved my pension when I resigned from my position in 1990 after working in the organisation for over 10 years and the organisation is now telling me I am not entitled to draw down my pension at 60, I have to wait until I am 65! I was part of the Superannuation Revision Scheme 1977/1985.
Apologies for the slim details, I am new to using this type of Forum which is great by the way.
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I haven't come across this scheme before. It is unusual in that it appears to be a "coordinated pension scheme", ie, the employee paid full PRSI, and pension contributions and subsequent benefits reflected this. These became the norm in the public service after 1995. However, there were other examples prior to 1995 (VHSS, NHASS).
Is this the scheme - http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1984/si/33/made/en/print ? If so, it seems fairly clear that 60 was the "normal retirement age" at which preserved benefits could be claimed. You didn't waive any entitlements under the scheme at any stage? Or return in any capacity to the public service after your resigned your position in 1990?
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Thank you for that information. I didn't wavier my entitlements to my pension since I left.
I am confused about the retained pension benefits notification form. I am trying to get a current (updated) value of my preserved annual pension and lump sum entitlements, I think it is called a Benefit Refund Statement. Am I entitled to request this at any time?
Thanks
I am confused about the retained pension benefits notification form. I am trying to get a current (updated) value of my preserved annual pension and lump sum entitlements, I think it is called a Benefit Refund Statement. Am I entitled to request this at any time?
Thanks
Were you an Officer grade?
It may be that 'Employee' or non officer aren't entitled to retire at 60.
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This may well be an explanation. Also known as a "Non-established State Employees". I don't think they were a widespread category in the Civil Service/Public Service:
"For Superannuation purposes, a non-established State employee is a person employed in a whole-time capacity by a Government Department or Office who is not an established civil servant and in respect of whom special superannuation arrangements have not been made. It may be noted that this definition covers certain employees who are not civil servants in the strict legal sense (e.g. civilian employees attached to the Defence Forces, who are not employed under the Defence Forces Act 1954) "
Otherwise, @Maudwk, are you now 60 and have you applied to the Human Resources Department at your former employer? What exactly have they said? It would be helpful if you could give as much detail as possible about your former role and sector. It wasn't the Secret Service by any chance?
No not the Secret Service lol. I am now 60, worked at Staff Officer level, started work in 1978. My thinking was that as I was 'pre 95' I could retire at 60. Former employer has new Superannuation Officer, was told I couldn't retire until.I was 65 and I wasn't entitled to a pension benefit statement
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That does not seem to make sense. "Normal Retirement Age" for preserved pension purposes is 60 for pre-2004 schemes, never mind pre-95. You would normally have to provide details when applying for the preserved pension benefits, eg, are you now working in any part of the public service, or have you been employed in the public service since leaving this Staff Officer role in 1990? Are you claiming, or entitled to claim, any other public service pension?
But these are all administrative details and HR should set out for you whatever information they require. At most they might impact on the level of preserved pension entitlement, but not to the entitlement itself. If they are denying your entitlement they should set out the reason why by specific terms of the Pension Scheme of which you were a member (not post-2004 schemes).
You might seek further clarification and, if this is unsatisfactory, also ask for details of the organisation's "Internal Disputes Resolution" procedure. You can appeal to the Pensions Ombudsman but you must first show you have attempted to have the matter resolved by the Internal Disputes Resolution procedure.