Public Pensions Class A

ianjohn

I am thinking of retiring soon but was shocked to find out that my pension is no longer based on my years of service!

As. Public Servant retiring between 60 and 65.you net about half of what a Class D person got.

You then have to seek Job Seekers Benefit for 9 months.

Then you go back and they may give you an additional Supplementary Pension.

But there strings attached.

If you seek any kind of part time work you lose your Supplementary pension!

Only in Ireland could someone come up with that!

Of course this means tens of thousands of exhausted nurses civil servants etc can not get thier proper.pension.

No wonder Seinn Fein did so well at the last election.

I would be interested in people opinions.

Jim_Hodge

If employed pre 2013 you're in a sector specific pension scheme. Which one is it and when did you join?

Madeoface

You didn't look at your pension conditions signing up? It's not based on years of service? If u r shocked now what did 'they' change in the arrangement? I thought all public and civil servants have been class a since 1996 or there about, and get state pension plus occupational one.

What this has to do with SF is beyond me....

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119927460#Comment_119927460

That's why I wondered when they joined. If post 95 they have less than 27 years service so a reduced pension anyway.

OP you'll get career average 1/80th per year made up of State pension and occupational pension. No great difference to those in Class D who probably paid a higher pension contribution anyway. Which occupational scheme are you in?

Surely you knew the pension arrangements before now.

ianjohn

When applying for a job, most people don't consider the pension scheme until near retirement unfortunately.

This scheme was changed in 1994 and again in 2004 I think.

For people who joined state bodies in 1994 they were told the pension would work out the same and it does in theory, but there are strings attached!

If your retire early you apply for Job Seekers Benefit . To get this you must be looking for work. Only in Ireland would someone come up with this!

How the union that I paid into agreed to this I'll never know.

After that you go back to your employer with cap in hand and they may give you a Supplementary Pension to match the equivalent of the pre 95 employees.

If you see a part time work,even for a few hours per week, even if it was for 1 hour per week, then you will lose the Supplementary pension from your employer.

So in effect if you retire before 66 you are locked out of work until you get to 66, when you then get the state pension, you lose the Supplementary pension and then your pension is not affected by working.

Its incredible that in this day and age regulations exist to inhibit retired people from taking up work.

As far as I know this applies to all public sector employees including nurses and other clinical staff!

On one hand there is no mandatory retirement age but, but early retirees have their pension reduced substantially if they work even part time.

So as people wishing to retire out of the public sector, giving young people the chance to get a job, they are now being advised to stay on.

Many who leave are unaware of these strings attached and are left in this limbo.

Of course this was perhaps all done when people thought the country could not afford the pensions and unemployment was much higher.

But does not suits the condition of the day.

When were wasting huge public money on white elephants, massively expensive computer systems that fail to be utilised etc etc I could go on.

It's no wonder Seinn Fein are now doing so well at the polls, I am not a die hard republican, but I voted for them at the last election when they said they would lower the pension age back to 65.

Suddenly Fine Gael and Finn Faill were in a rush to cost it and implement a dramatic u turn! Suddenly it was cost effective!

The country still need these workers filling some roll, were in full employment. It's right for so many reasons rather than keeping them at home!

And a lot of small businesses can't get staff of any age, I wonder why?

I hope this doesn't sound like a big rant!

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119935121#Comment_119935121

It does sound like a bit of a rant tbh. What Sinn Fein has to do with it puzzles me and yet you mentioned it twice. They'll not improve your pension and that's for sure.

Again, what sector are you in and when did you join the pension fund? If post 95 you're not near decent pension payouts in either scenario.

ianjohn

Civil Service, May 96

Jim_Hodge

I'm not sure how you expect to retire under 65 with 26 80ths accrued. But your decision.

ianjohn

The reference re Sinn Fein is because they did very well at the last election, but one major reason was their pledge to bring down the retirement age back to 65.

I believe this with other issues made a lot of older voters decide to vote for them.

Obviously until your nearer your retirement you don't really consider your pension much.

So for most people they dont care, but there is now a sizeable majority of older public servants nurses etc who expect a pension with the option to continue to work if they so wish.

The government always plays the 'we can't afford it card'

But we can afford the children's hospital which will end up costing 6 billion, the compensation for the cervical testing scandal another 500 million...the list goes on...

I'm all for all of the above, but money doesn't seem to be a problem, but the retirement age must go up!

Again I hope this is not a rant but an observation.

Trigger Happy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119935889#Comment_119935889

That's not correct. Sinn Fein got their lowest share of vote amongst older people in the last election.

18-24- Sinn Féin: 31.8%

25-34- Sinn Féin: 31.7%

35-49- Sinn Féin: 22%

50-64- Sinn Féin: 22.8%

65 and over- Sinn Féin: 12.2%

ianjohn

Look this discussion is about the class A stamp, not Sein Fein...

Like everything in Ireland someone thought this was a crafty move leaving nurses and Garda in a difficult position...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119958419#Comment_119958419

What nonsense. You are no worse off than every other worker in the country, quit with the amateur dramatics. "Exhausted civil servants"; pull the other one.

You're entitled to the State Pension like everyone else. You're entitled to your Occupational Pension. If you retire earlier, then the Occupational Pension is reduced likewise.

ianjohn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119960747#Comment_119960747

I don't think you understand what's being discussed!

divjoy

Interesting discussion, can I put in my tuppence worth Here... it seems...

1) We are virtaully in full employment

2) There's thousands of jobs out there that cant be filled both for part time / full time staff.

3) Any class A stamp worked who retires between 60 and 66, cant work or will lose a big part of their pension.

4) When they get to 66 now they can work and not lose anything !

The result of this will be that Class A people may then work under the counter, government will lose out as they will not receive income tax or USC

Seems kinda daft! When the country needs people the most, we tie them up in red tape and bureaucracy.

Of course the government will come to their senses and change the rules, but by that time it will be too late!

Some people compare it with Job Seekers Allowance but this was the pension they paid into!

ianjohn

Great article in the Irish Times about retiring Garda who will now have to make fraudulent JSB claims....

https://archive.ph/2024.05.23-070438/https%3A//www.irishtimes.com/business/work/2024/05/23/gardai-say-those-retiring-from-november-will-have-to-make-false-declaration-that-they-are-available-for-work/