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Circulars

Published on April 25, 2023

Last update on July 12, 2023

While every effort will be made to update this list with relevant circulars as they are issued, a comprehensive directory of circulars can be found on https://www.gov.ie/en/circulars/

Latest Circulars

  • Circular 24/2022: Guidance on the application of Abatement of Public Service Occupational Pensions
  • Circular 23/2022: Limited Appeals Process for option to join public service Spouses’ and Children’s contributory pension schemes

Abatement of Pension

  • Circular 24/2022: Guidance on the application of Abatement of Public Service Occupational Pensions under Section 52 (1) to (5) of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012
  • Circular 24/2022: Explanatory document

Additional Superannuation Contribution (ASC)

  • Circular 21/2018: Transition to Additional Superannuation Contribution (ASC) from Pension Related Deduction (PRD) in the public service on 1 January 2019

Allowances (Treatment for Pension Purposes)

  • Circular 38/2007: Allowances for the performance of the duties of a higher grade
  • Circular 10/2008: Public Service Pension Reform: Revised method of reckoning variable pensionable allowances for pension purposes

Benefit Cap (40-Year Rule)

  • Circular 13/2020: Guidance on the application of the pensions Benefit Cap under section 52 (6) and (7) of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012
  • Circular 13/2020: Explanatory examples

Cost Neutral Early Retirement

  • Circular 10/2005: Public Service Pension Reform: Introduction of Cost-Neutral Early Retirement

Death in Service

  • Circular 46/1975: Revision of the Superannuation Code
  • Circular 11/2012: Public Service Pension Reform: Revised ill health and death in service arrangements for part-time public servants

Ill Health Retirement

Injury Warrants

Marriage Gratuities

  • Circular 37/1975: Marriage gratuities in the civil service
    Circular 50/1979: Re-admission to the civil service of certain former women civil servants
    Circular 25/1990: Refund of marriage gratuities in the civil service
  • Circular 15/2014: Revised rate of compound interest for use in the calculation of refunds to the exchequer

Pension Appeals and Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR)

  • Circular 16/2020: Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) procedure for pension appeals in relation to beneficiaries/disputed beneficiaries of pre-existing civil service pension schemes and of certain public service pre-existing pension schemes

Pension Arrangements in Commercial Semi-State Bodies (CSSBs)

  • Circular 16/2021 - Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies Amendments to the Annex on Remuneration and Superannuation

Pension Increase Policy

  • Circular 21/2017: Increases in certain public service pensions with effect from 1 September 2017
  • Circular 02/2018: Pension increase policy in the public service until end-2020
  • Circular 19/2019: Further instruction on the pension increase policy in the public service until end-2020
  • Circular 10/2021: Instruction on the pension increase policy in the public service until end 2022

Pension Related Deduction (PRD)

  • Circular 21/2018: Transition to Additional Superannuation Contribution (ASC) from Pension Related Deduction (PRD) in the public service on 1 January 2019

Preserved Pension Benefits

Professional Added Years (PAY)

  • Circular 11/1985: Ad hoc arbitration finding on a claim for the award of added years to certain civil service grades
  • Circular 12/1997: Revised schemes for the award of professional technical and specialist added years to certain civil servants
  • Circular 08/2005: Public Service Pension Reform: New scheme for the award of professional, technical and specialist added years to certain new entrant staff of the civil and public service

Public Service Pension Scheme Membership and Contract Terms

  • Circular 06/1995: Revised social insurance status and conditions of service of certain civil servants

Public Service Pension Reduction (PSPR)

Purchase of Notional Service

  • Circular 16/1979: Purchase of notional service for superannuation purposes
  • Circular 01/1990: Revised purchase scheme for Established officers
  • Circular 04/2006: Purchase of notional service for superannuation purposes by Established Civil Servants and by Non-Established State Employee

Redeployment (Pension Implications)

  • Circular 08/2010: Redeployment scheme setting out arrangements that apply in the civil cervice and between the civil service and Non Commercial State Sponsored Bodies (NCSSBs) as set out in the Public Service Agreement 2010-14 (the Croke Park Agreement)

Retirement Ages in the Civil Service

  • Circular 03/2021: Guidance on minimum pension ages/compulsory retirement ages in the public service

Secondment (Pension Implications)

Severance

  • Circular 09/2018: Consolidation of arrangements for the offer of severance terms in the civil and public service

Spouses’ and Children's Pension Scheme

  • Circular 15/1976: Contributory pensions scheme for the widows and children of civil servants
  • Circular 10/1981: Revision of the Superannuation Code
  • Circular 16/1984: Civil service Spouses' and Children's contributory pension scheme
  • Circular 18/2020: Recognition of same sex marriages/civil partnerships under public service Original Spouses’ and Children’s contributory pension schemes
  • Circular 23/2022: Limited appeals process for option to join public service Spouses’ and Children’s contributory pension schemes