A firefighter has said she is overpaying her mortgage every month because she fears that when she retires she won’t be able to afford the repayments with her current pension.
Aisling Buffini (35), living in Co Kildare, joined Dublin Fire Brigade in 2020 as a firefighter and paramedic.
Ms Buffini will have to retire at 62, which is the mandatory retirement age for firefighters, but cannot draw down her pension until she turns 66. She can only avail of social welfare payments during that four-year “gap”, or re-enter the job market.
Siptu has said gardaí, military, fire and prison service personnel who were employed since 2013 face having to go without a significant proportion of their full pensions for years after they retire.
They claim that public service pension reforms introduced in 2013 – known as the “single scheme” – will particularly hit those in the uniformed services who have faster-accruing pensions, as they retire earlier than other groups on the State payroll.
“Regardless of when we joined or what pension we are on, we all do the same job,” said Ms Buffini on Tuesday.
“Most days I am sitting in the fire engine or an ambulance beside someone whose pension is far superior to my own – a pension that allows them to be optimistic about their financial security in the future.”
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Ms Buffini, who is originally from Harold’s Cross in south Dublin, said she was three years into a 35-year mortgage.
“I already have to overpay every month in an attempt to shorten that term, because when I retire I simply won’t be able to afford a mortgage and bills on my pension,” she said.
“I have also had to start additional voluntary contributions to try to compensate for the shortcomings of the single scheme. That means less disposable income now just to try to secure a basic level of dignity in retirement.
Members and representatives of the uniformed services including gardaí, firefighters and members of Defence Forces launching a protest about pension changes mostly affecting younger members. Photograph: Alan Betson
“I would like to start a family some day, but I have to consider that when I retire I may still have children at home or in college, because the housing market is so inaccessible. My pension will not be sufficient to support my family.”
Ms Buffini also said, as firefighters, they are repeatedly exposed to “trauma, injury and death”.
“No one can see into the future, but in this line of work there are strong indicators that many of us will face health issues later in life. For a firefighter or paramedic, retiring without significant health problems is like winning the lottery.”
Ms Buffini was speaking at a meeting of the Siptu campaign Save Our Future in Marino, north Dublin, where members and representatives from all four services spoke of the financial hardship faced by personnel who retire after years of service.
Siptu organiser Geoff McAvoy said the union was seeking the full restoration of the supplementary pension.
“Before the last general election, promises to examine this issue were made, but these remain unfulfilled. This is an unacceptable slap in the face to thousands of dedicated frontline public service workers,” he said.
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has been contacted for comment.
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