A group of 13,000 retired civil servants and Ministers will undergo a review of their pension deductions for potential incorrect payments, as confirmed by Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers.

Minister Chambers stated that the majority of the current Cabinet and Ministers of State are impacted by this issue. While most individuals owe money to the State, a minority are entitled to refunds.

Previous government Ministers are also involved in this examination. The discrepancies in payments range from hundreds of euros to tens of thousands of euros in both underpayments and overpayments.

An external audit is currently in progress, focusing primarily on civil servants who worked reduced hours and were eligible for an allowance related to their work-share status.

Minister Chambers clarified that the majority of the 13,000 individuals will not be affected by these discrepancies.

Regarding retired civil servants, approximately 30 cases have been identified with liabilities ranging from a few hundred euros to €280,000. Minister Chambers highlighted a significant failure at the National Shared Service Office (NSSO), responsible for HR, payroll, and pensions, which has damaged its reputation due to the scale and systemic nature of the issues.

The Minister assured that he will address the matter comprehensively, ensuring that any owed money to the State will be recovered in full and refunds will be promptly issued to those entitled. He mentioned being made aware of the problem at the end of March, with a detailed report received last Wednesday.

When asked about the specific amounts owed or due by individual ministers, Minister Chambers stated that he is not privy to that information.