Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022
429. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason that there is such a delay in considering a request on behalf of the superannuation fund of a semi-State body (details supplied) to increase the pension awarded to its members; his views on whether such delays are unfair on those awaiting the decision; and if he will give urgent attention to the situation given the current cost-of-living crisis. [30365/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will appreciate, issues involving the pension schemes in relation to the Commercial Semi State companies can be complex.
As the key stakeholders involved in considering these proposals, the parent Department along with the relevant scheme trustees and the scheme employer all play an important role in ensuring that the full impact of pension increases on the sustainability of the pension funds is carefully assessed along with all the other policy considerations before proposals are finalised and then delivered.
The normal process by which these requests are advanced involves the parent Government Department under whose aegis responsibility for individual Commercial Semi State Bodies falls considering and approving any changes to pension scheme rules or discretionary benefits.
My Department then considers these proposals when a fully completed set of business case and technical assessment documents are submitted in line with the standard governance requirements. This includes the advice from NewEra. This process applies to all proposals including the RTÉ pension scheme before they are brought forward for my consent.
The above process has been completed. Accordingly under Regulation 85 of the RTÉSA and having regard to NewERA advice from April 2022 and the latest actuarial valuation, I have approved the proposal for a 2% discretionary pension increase on a once off basis.
My department issued a letter to D/TCAGSM on May 16th 2022 to this effect and I understand they have since communicated this decision to RTÉ and the Chair of the trustees. Implementation of the increase (backdated to January 2021) will now be a matter for RTÉ and their parent department D/TCAGSM.
