Written Answers Nos. 162-167
162. Deputy Michael P. Kitt asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he has consulted with An Post concerning a business plan for the company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39411/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company, in a position to provide a high quality postal service and maintain a nationwide customer focused network of post offices.
The Board of An Post is required to approve rolling five-year business and financial plans each year in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. I understand that the company has begun work on the plan for 2015-2019 and my Department will be engaging with the company over the coming weeks as this plan is being finalised.
In addition, a whole-of-government review of the scope for providing additional public services through local post offices is currently underway under the auspices of the Cabinet Committee on Social Policy. An Post is aware that this review is ongoing and engagement with the company is being undertaken when and as appropriate.
163. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will introduce measures to ensure that the costs of operating a truck here are in line with the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland and other EU member states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39510/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would firstly like to draw your attention to the position as outlined in a recent report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the state of the EU road transport market. Among other things, this report indicated that while some costs for hauliers may be higher in Ireland than in the United Kingdom, it is also the case that certain other costs are lower in Ireland, such as the price of diesel fuel and the net amount of charges paid per vehicle/km.
My Department has acted on a number of measures in support of the Irish haulage sector and will continue to do so.
In response to concerns raised by hauliers about the cost of running a haulage operation in Ireland, an interdepartmental group chaired by my Department was established in February of this year to assess the implications of introducing a pay-as-you-go road tax system for HGVs. The group is made up of representatives from the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Environment, Community and Local Government; and Finance; the National Roads Authority; the Road Safety Authority; An Garda Síochána; and Forfás. The remit of the group is to examine the technical, regulatory and economic dimensions of any pay-as-you-go charging system for HGVs in Ireland. The group had intended to finalise its recommendations in the summer of 2014, as previously reported by my predecessor as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. The initial work carried out by the group has raised additional issues for their consideration, leading to a deferral in the finalisation of their report. I have given the group additional time to complete its work to ensure that the report is as comprehensive as possible and it is now expected to be delivered before the end of this year.
It is also noteworthy that my Department was instrumental in putting in place the diesel rebate scheme for licensed road transport operators that came into effect from July 2013.
164. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if performance-related pay has been paid to any of his staff or staff in his Department for the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; if so, the number of staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39402/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo staff in my Department have received performance related payments for the years in question.
165. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the position regarding the tender process for the Kerry to Dublin public service obligation flight route; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39429/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current Public Service Obligation (PSO) air services contracts for the Kerry/Dublin and the Donegal/Dublin routes expires on January 31st next. My Department launched a call for tenders for public service obligation air services for both of these routes earlier this year and that process is still ongoing. As I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, it would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment further.
166. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will not cut an airport pension by 60% in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39445/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra167. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will support a matter regarding the Irish aviation superannuation scheme pension issue (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39491/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 166 and 167 together.
Resolution of the funding difficulties of the IASS is primarily a matter for the Trustee, the companies participating in the scheme, the scheme’s members and the Pensions Authority. The process currently underway involves all of these stakeholders, including the deferred members.
I can assure you that I do understand the concerns of the deferred members in relation to the funding of the scheme. However, such matters are governed by the Pensions Acts, which fall under the responsibility of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection. Pension schemes are closely regulated under Irish and European pension law and the Pensions Authority is the national statutory regulatory authority in Ireland. There are prescribed procedures and limitations in place governing any reductions in pension rights introduced to address funding difficulties in a scheme such as the IASS.
In their discussions with the deferred members, the Expert Panel explained that the process was an industrial relations process and that responsibility for dealing with the deferred members of the scheme rested with the IASS Trustee through engagement with the employers. Notwithstanding that strict legal position, the Panel recommended, inter alia, that the IASS Trustee engage with the employers on ways to alleviate as much of the impact of the Trustee proposal as is possible whilst also recognising the overall affordability to the employers of the proposals for active and deferred members. As a result of that Report, there was an uplift in the monies to be provided by the employers outside of the IASS, a significant proportion of which is intended for the deferred members and which goes a long way towards mitigating the benefit cuts proposed by the IASS Trustee.
I also understand that discussions are ongoing between the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Social Protection in relation to access of former employees, in particular deferred pensioners and pensioners, to the industrial relations machinery of the State.
The IASS Trustee and the principal employers have recently issued documents in respect of the proposed changes in pension arrangements. These communications mark the commencement of the formal consultation process which the Trustee is required by the Pensions Act 1990 to undertake in respect of the reductions in benefits that it is proposing. Each member will also shortly receive a personalised illustration of future pension benefits. All members have been invited to send their views on the proposals to the IASS Trustee by 27 October 2014. The target date for implementation of the proposals remains 31 December 2014.
Huge efforts have been put in by all concerned over many years in an attempt to resolve the scheme's funding problems. A set of clear proposals has now been put forward which offer the best chance to resolve the long-standing problems of the scheme and resolve members’ uncertainties about their future pension entitlements. I would urge all parties to accept them.
