The question of the funding situation in pension schemes in the commercial State sector is primarily a matter for the board of each organisation directly concerned and I would expect that any relevant issues will be brought to the attention of the Ministers directly concerned as and when appropriate.
The question of the funding situation in pension schemes in the non-commercial State sector should be raised directly by the Deputy with the relevant Government Ministers who are responsible in the first instance for the supervision of the organisations concerned. There is a wide variety of such schemes, for example, some funded on a pay as one goes basis and some funded on a partly funded basis using resources provided through the relevant grants with pension outlays partly resourced from the funds concerned and from ongoing grants. It is a matter for the relevant board in charge of such organisations to ensure that funds it supervises operate in accordance with the approved arrangements.
From a general policy point of view, my Department has received some contacts. The general position is that the relevant board in charge of such organisations, in conjunction with their appropriate sponsoring Department, will ensure that the funds concerned are in a position to discharge their obligations. As regards the national pensions reserve fund, the relevant statutory provisions governing this fund provide that the purpose of this fund is to ensure that resources are available for the longer-term pension needs. The question of any short-term needs in particular pension funds is a separate matter for the organisation and the Minister concerned.
