Retirement

This section helps you to find out more about the retirement process, download the retirement pack and view a guide to completing your retirement forms.

Note: the NSSO does not currently administer pensions or handle pension appeals for the following groups: office holders, An Garda Síochána, OPW industrial staff, the judiciary, members of the Defence Forces. Instead, please contact your employer’s HR team.

First, submit a formal written notice of your intention to retire to your employer. They will then discuss your intended leaving date and any succession or handover plans.

You must then download the exit form at the bottom of this page and submit the completed form, along with formal written notice of your intention to retire, to NSSO through any of the following three ways:

• Online through the case management system
• Email the form to exitprocess@nsso.gov.ie
• Post to: Resignations and Retirements, National Shared Services Office, Block 5, Belfield Office Park, Beech Hill Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 4, D04 A9P2.

To view the progress of an existing case, you can log into the case management system.

Please note that the National Shared Services Office does not offer a FREEPOST service. Please ensure you have affixed the correct value in postage stamps to your envelope prior to posting it.

Once the NSSO receives your exit form, you’ll get an automatic email with your unique case number.

There is a mandatory notice period for anyone who wants to resign or retire from the Civil Service. This is to allow management time to assess the effect of the notice on the relevant business area.

Principal Officers or equivalent, and above, must give at least three months’ minimum notice for retiring or resigning. If you are at Assistant Principal Officer grade or below, you need to give one months’ notice.

You should aim to begin the retirement process at least six or eight weeks before your planned leaving date, and clearly indicate your last day of service. This will allow enough time to complete all the administration work and avoid any unnecessary delays in receiving your pension benefits. If you don’t give enough notice, there may be a delay in superannuation benefits and any other payments you are owed. Your salary will only be paid up to the last date of your actual service.

• The notice of resignation/retirement must be unconditional.
• You cannot withdraw notice to resign or retire on or after the date you gave as the last date of service.
• You can take annual leave entitlements as part of the overall notice requirement.

Your planned date for retiring or resigning could also affect your annual leave entitlement. Check with the annual leave estimator to estimate your new annual leave entitlement.

Retirement from the Civil Service is usually based on age. If you are retiring due to ill health, you are covered by the procedures laid down in circular 22/2007 . You can also read the information about the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme.