asked the Minister for Transport and Power the further developments, if any, that have taken place regarding a new pension scheme for conciliation grades in CIE.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - CIE Pension Scheme.
17.
CIE have prepared a new draft pension scheme for wages grades employees and has circulated it to the trade unions concerned for consideration prior to further negotiations.
The draft scheme has been circulated without commitment by the company at this stage.
In view of the grave dissatisfaction and the long wait involved for these grades, is it possible to hurry up the new pension scheme?
I appreciate that but it would be most undesirable if I were to step in because the responsibility is on CIE to put forward a pension scheme. They obviously want to discuss that with the unions involved and I do not think I should step in and try to hurry those talks along. It is much better that they have a dialogue going on between them in this regard.
Would the Minister not agree that this dialogue has gone on far too long to the detriment of the grades concerned? Is there no way they can be brought together?
This is a matter for the two bodies concerned. I am sure the unions involved are as concerned about their members' pension scheme as anybody in this House or outside it. They will be anxious to proceed with the dialogue as quickly as possible. It would be totally inappropriate for a Minister to step in and tell them to produce a scheme.