Appendix 2.1 Limited early retirement scheme agreed as part of the restructuring agreement reached between the Department of Education and the Teachers' Unions

Strand I - Teachers with not less than 15 years whole time or pensionable service who are consistently experiencing professional difficulties in their teaching duties.

Subject to certain provisions, superannuation entitlements would be as follows:

- a teacher with 35 years or more of actual pensionable service would get superannuation based on actual reckonable service.

- a teacher with less than 35 years of actual pensionable service would get a superannuation award based on actual reckonable service enhanced by the grant of added years: the added years would be 25% of actual reckonable service, subject to the lesser of five years or potential service to age 65, and also subject to an aggregate maximum of actual service and added years of 35 years.

Strand II - Teachers aged 55 years or more who, having served for a minimum of 20 years, wish to retire and whose school management verifies that such retirement would provide an opportunity to enhance the education service provided by the school by facilitating change such as the introduction of new skills and curriculum review.

Superannuation entitlements would be as follows:

- a teacher aged 55 with 35 years or more of reckonable pensionable service would get a superannuation award based on actual reckonable service.

- a teacher aged 55 with less than 35 years of reckonable pensionable service would get a superannuation award based on actual reckonable service, enhanced by the grant of added years equal to whichever is the least of (a) two years, or (b) potential service to age 65, or (c) the service required to give total reckonable service of 35 years.

Strand III - Teachers in posts surplus to requirements which will not be filled and who cannot readily be redeployed.

Superannuation entitlements would be as follows:

Teachers with at least five years of pensionable teaching service would have an option of either:

(a) immediate pension and lump sum based on actual (and purchased) pensionable service, enhanced by the award of added years at the rate of 35% of actual reckonable service, subject to

(i) added years not exceeding the lesser of seven years or potential service to age 65; and

(ii) total service for pension and lump sum purposes being subject to a maximum of 40 years;

or

(b) immediate pension and lump sum based on actual (and purchased) pensionable service, subject to the standard 40-year limit, with no added years award, but with a severance gratuity at the rate of three weeks' pay per year of potential service to age 65 (subject to a maximum of 27 weeks pay).

Strands I and III would be subject to an overall quota of 150 retirements per year. Strand II would be subject to an overall quota of 250 retirements per year. Priority would be given to older teachers under all three strands where the number of applications exceed the quota.

All applications for early retirement under Strands I and II of the scheme would be processed by an Early Retirement Advisory Committee (ERAC) which would make recommendations to the Minister.

The Scheme would operate on a pilot basis pending review in the light of the report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions.

Appendix 2.2 Retirement initiatives agreed between the Department of Health and the Nurses' Unions

(1) Pre - Retirement Initiative

Nurses aged 55 or over and who have a minimum of 20 years whole-time service and who do not otherwise enjoy enhanced superannuation benefits may qualify to work on a job-sharing basis for a maximum of five years prior to retirement, or such lesser period as may apply until they reach age 60, with the five or lesser number of years in question to reckon as full-time service for superannuation purposes.

A quota not exceeding 600 applications will apply during the initial three-year operation of the scheme, with up to a maximum of 300 applications to be approved in the first year.

The scheme is intended to benefit both individual nurses and their employers where nurses are no longer capable of coping with the stresses and demands of nursing on a full time basis. The scheme will operate on a pilot basis pending review in the light of the report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions.

(2) Limited Early Retirement Initiative

• A limited early retirement initiative is to be implemented for nurses aged 55 or over with at least 35 years service who find the demands of the profession such that they no longer feel they can operate at the level of professional performance they themselves and management require. The facility is to operate as follows:

- nurses in this category to be eligible for immediate pension

- the scheme to be subject to a number of criteria

- an annual quota of 200 to apply

- the scheme to operate on a pilot basis pending the Report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions