Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
301. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Transport the meetings his officials have had regarding the Irish Aviation Authority hybrid pension scheme in the past 18 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14573/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra316. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Transport the reason, after the long and detailed negotiations with the IAA employee staff panel on the rescue of the deficit in the IAA staff superannuation scheme which resulted in LCR19713 (2010), this major industrial relations agreement was misleadingly represented by the IAA to his Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform during 2011 and 2012 as an agreement to amend terms and benefits of the IAA staff superannuation scheme without notifying IAA staff either individually or through their unions until late in 2018, just before LCR19713 was due to end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14797/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 316 together.
As the Deputies may be aware, the design and funding of pension schemes are governed and protected by the rules and regulatory framework set out in the Pensions Acts. All such schemes in the State must conform accordingly, and employers and Pension Scheme Trustees must engage as required with the Pensions Board. Matters relating to individual schemes are in the first instance a matter for the trustees, the employer and the staff and their representstive bodies.
In relation to the Irish Aviation Authority, Section 41 (7) of the Irish Aviation Authority Act, 1993 provides that a dispute on superannuation benefit may be submitted to the Minister for Transport for determination by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
I can confirm that two such submissions have been received by my Department on behalf of staff of the Irish Aviation Authority, and those submissions relate to the issues the Deputies have raised. These appeals are now with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in accordance with the statutory process and officials are engaging on those appeals.
As the appeal process is ongoing, I am not in a position to provide any further comment at this stage.
