8.—(1) No superannuation benefit shall be granted and no other arrangements shall be entered into for the provision of such benefit to or in respect of a member of the Permanent Defence Force who is a new entrant otherwise than—

(a) in accordance with a scheme under this section, or

(b) with the consent of the Minister for Defence and the Minister.

(2) The Minister for Defence shall, with the consent of the Minister, make a scheme or schemes for the purposes of granting superannuation benefits to or in respect of members of the Permanent Defence Force appointed on or after 1 April 2004 who are new entrants.

(3) Every scheme made under subsection (2) shall, subject to section 10(2), fix the time and conditions of retirement for all members of the Permanent Defence Force to or in respect of whom superannuation benefits are payable under the scheme and different times and conditions may be fixed in respect of different classes of such members.

(4) The Minister for Defence may, with the consent of the Minister, make a scheme amending or revoking a scheme under this section (including a scheme under this subsection).

(5) Every scheme under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the scheme is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which that House has sat after the scheme has been laid before it, the scheme shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that scheme.