Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2018
33. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress made in addressing the issue of pensions for community employment supervisors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2118/18]
View answerI know time is short so I will be very direct. The issue of pension rights for community employment supervisors has been raised in the House, and time and again we are told that the high level forum in the Minister's Department is dealing with the issue. Will the Minister advise us and update us on any progress that has been made recently.
The high level forum met before Christmas. My officials who were participating in it shared the scoping exercise which was undertaken with the union representatives. It outlines how many people work in the sector, the different costs involved and some of the difficulties. I understand that the unions are considering the matter and that the high level forum will meet again.
The high level forum has been a prolonged issue which precedes the Minister's appointment to the Department. Is he in a position to give the House any indication of the anticipated timelines to deal with the matter?
The forum will meet again to engage with unions on the matter.
The Deputy is right to say that this matter has been around for quite a while. One of the reasons for that is that it cuts to the heart of a principle regarding who the State does and does not employ. This is a matter that Fianna Fáil grappled with when it was in government many years ago when the resources available to the State were greater. We will be meeting the unions again to get their response to the project and to the scoping report that we have shared with them. I have been trying to catch up on my notes to get to the question that the Deputy put to me. The meetings to which I am referring took place on 23 November 2017 and on Friday, 15 December.
For the information of House, we covered the questions of those Members who were in the Chamber.
