Finian McGrath
Ceist:745. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will examine a matter regarding pensions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9499/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 25 February 2014
Ceisteanna (745, 746, 754)
Finian McGrath
Ceist:746. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding a pension in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 9; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9501/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra
John Lyons
Ceist:754. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm that employees who transferred out of a company (details supplied) are still considered part of that company’s pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9595/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 745, 746 and 754 together.
These questions relate to the pension arrangements for former TEAM Aer Lingus employees, who became employees of another company when the maintenance part of the business was sold by Aer Lingus in 1998. Many of these employees were subsequently made redundant when the business closed in 2009. Such employees who have not yet reached pensionable age and who are members of the Irish Airlines Superannuation pension scheme are referred to as deferred members of the scheme.
As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport I have no role in the administration or management of pension schemes relating to past or present employees of Aer Lingus Group Plc. Resolution of the funding difficulties in the scheme is primarily a matter for the trustees, the members of the scheme, and the companies participating in the scheme.
The Trustees have recently announced that they have decided in principle on a number of changes to address the funding difficulties. In their letter to the Employers and the Unions the Trustees formally requested the Employers and the Unions to give appropriate consideration to the position of the deferred members in further discussions.