Pension entitlements for employees in the DAA and SR Technics are primarily matters for the Trustees, the members of the relevant scheme and the companies involved. The pension scheme in question, the Irish Airlines (General Employees) Superannuation Scheme, is a multi-employer scheme in which these two companies and Aer Lingus participate. Under the rules of the Scheme indexation increases are not guaranteed and are not explicitly funded but depend on the performance of the pension fund and are paid at the discretion of the Trustees of the Scheme. I understand, however, that the practice by the Trustees has been to provide pension increases in line with CPI.
The provisions made in relation to Aer Lingus are particular to that company and were agreed in the context of the overall arrangements put in place for the Aer Lingus IPO.