Awards of extra years’ service to boost public servant pensions ‘hard to justify’ and ‘uniquely Irish’

The practice is from the 19th century. Stock image

Anne-Marie Walsh

Awards of extra years to boost public servants’ pensions are a “uniquely Irish pension benefit” that is “difficult to justify”, according to a review by government officials.

A new analysis of the ‘added years’ schemes describes them as a “costly” benefit.