Departmental Reports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 December 2013

Tuesday, 10 December 2013

Questions (280)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

280. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will immediately publish or circulate the report of the Mercer review she commissioned and has had since the end of 2012 on the pension wind-up priority order contained in section 48 of the Pensions Act 1990, which the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013 proposes to amend, in order to ensure a fully democratic and thorough debate on the context and implications of the Bill. [53015/13]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Review of Pension Scheme Wind-Up Priorities was undertaken by Mercer during 2012 at the request of the Department of Social Protection. The review was undertaken to inform the deliberative process regarding the wind up priority provision in section 48 of the Pensions Act. The review primarily considers the technical aspects of the distribution of assets. The objective of the review was to determine to what extent the provisions in section 48 of the Pensions Act might be revised to provide for a different approach to the distribution of assets in the wind up of an underfunded pension scheme.

The Mercer review was published by the Department (www.welfare.ie) on the 9th December 2013 and a copy of the review has issued to the Deputy.