Extension of retirement grace period welcomed
by Niall Shanahan
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IMPACT has welcomed the announcement this week, by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin TD, that the grace period within which public servants can retire, under the terms and conditions which they held prior to the pay reductions under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2013, is to be extended to June 2016.
Responding to the announcement, IMPACT general secretary Shay Cody said that this was a positive response to concerns raised by trade unions about the effect of a sudden loss of many experienced public servants. Shay said “This decision takes some pressure off public services where a mass exodus of experience and expertise could have a negative effect on the delivery of services.
“It also takes pressure off individual workers who are in the process of planning their retirement, and allows them the scope to consider their plans without the threat of a loss of income hanging over them” he said.
In his statement, Minister Howlin said that the new expiry date was chosen to minimise the effect on schools in particular, and said the revised date also coincides with the expiry of the Haddington Road Agreement.
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