2.15 Local Authorities
2.15.1 The Minister for the Environment, with the consent the Minister for Finance, has responsibility for the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS), which is governed by the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1980. The two main schemes made under this Act are the Local Government (Superannuation Revision)(Consolidation) Scheme, 1986 which sets out the provisions previously contained in the non-statutory Superannuation Revision Scheme, 1977, and the Local Government (Superannuation) Act, 1956 (Consolidation) Scheme, 1987 which incorporates the provisions of the now repealed 1956 Superannuation Act. A number of other schemes have been made covering areas such as spouses' and children's pensions, transfer of service, and the purchase of notional service. A number of circular letters also apply.
2.15.2 The LGSS applies to officers and employees of local authorities, health boards, vocational educational committees, institutes of technology and regional technical colleges, and certain local government and health corporate bodies.
2.15.3 Under the LGSS, officers and employees have the same pension terms as established and non-established civil servants, respectively, with the exceptions outlined below.
2.15.4 Psychiatric nurses (as noted at 2.14.3 above) and fire brigade personnel, may retire after age 55, with their service in excess of 20 years' counting as double.
2.15.5 In the case of officers designated as professional under the Local Authority (Officers and Employees) Act, 1926, an addition of up to one-third is made to reckonable service where retirement takes place after 60 years of age.
2.15.6 As a pension contribution of 5% already applied under the main pension scheme, no uprating of salary took place when full PRSI was introduced in respect of all officers appointed on or after 6 April 1995.
2.15.7 Special early retirement terms apply to City and County Managers who are appointed on a non-renewable seven-year contract basis (similar to civil service TLAC Secretary terms - see 2.4.7 above)