Howlin delay halts limit on pensions

Thousands of new-entrant teachers and other public servants are continuing to qualify for gilt-edged pensions because of a signature delay by Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin.

They have avoided the imminent lower-paying pension regime by joining the public service over the last 12 weeks because of Mr Howlin’s failure to sign a document.

He has yet to commence part of the Public Service Pensions Act 2012 that will base all new entrants’ pension benefits on career-average pay instead of final salary.