asked the Minister for Transport and Power whether he has received requests from the Transport Salaried Staffs Association and CIE to meet a deputation to discuss the opening of a suspense account to which employees could contribute to qualify for a pension on retirement; if so, if he will accede to the requests; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - CIE Pension Scheme.
18.
Under section 44 of the Transport Act, 1950, the onus is on CIE to make proposals to me for the amendment of superannuation schemes.
I have received the request from the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association for the establishment of a suspense account to which staff and the company would pay contributions estimated to be sufficient to meet the cost of improved benefits as a result of possible amendments of separate superannuation schemes and have referred this to the company. The amendments in question have been under discussion between the unions and the company for quite some time and have not yet been agreed for submission to me for approval with the concurrence of the Minister for Finance.
The association have indicated their availability for discussions with me and I will be pleased to receive a deputation if circumstances so warrant it. However, there would not be much point in discussions until such time as CIE and the association have agreed on the amendments.
I think the Minister will agree with me that a great deal of difficulty has arisen in the past because of slowness on the part of the management of CIE to process applications which are made to it. In the hope of expediting the procedures, would the Minister, perhaps if necessary informally, suggest to the board that a meeting should take place between the three parties concerned at an early date to try to clear away any of the red tape which may be strangling the application at the present time?
I shall certainly do what I can to expedite matters.