A review into whether Ministers owe or are owed potentially thousands of euro arising from errors calculating their pension deductions has been completed, the Department of Public Expenditure has said.
However, the department said it will not disclose the numbers involved or the details regarding those affected.
Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers said in June that “serious and systemic operational issues” had been identified at the National Shared Services Office (NSSO), which handles pension payments.
He said the issues related to “superannuation deductions and additional superannuation contributions with respect to salaries, allowances or gifted income”.
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At the time, it was estimated that the amounts that would need to be recouped from Ministers and former members of the Government would range from hundreds of euros to just above €30,000. It was also forecast that some Ministers could be owed money, ranging from several hundred euros up to about €20,000.
It is understood that part of the problem arose from the treatment of part of Ministers’ income returned to the State in recent years, and how their pension deductions were calculated as a result.
Mr Chambers told the Dáil earlier this month that a review concerning Ministers “who may have been impacted regarding contributions and additional superannuation contributions, has been completed”.
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He said those Ministers identified as being affected were being contacted and engagement was ongoing.
“I understand from the National Shared Services Office that many recoupment plans are now in place.”
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Mr Chambers said his department and the NSSO had “put new measures and controls in place to ensure these matters do not recur”.
The department this weekend said it would not be providing details regarding the number of Ministers who had been affected by the pension calculation errors.
“As the numbers concerned are relatively small, it would not be appropriate to provide details on an anonymised basis or to provide the numbers concerned, as to do so could identify the individuals involved,” it said.
