Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 February 2024
95. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform when the agreed cost-of-living increase of 4% for ESB pensioners will be approved and paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5284/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI ask the Minister when the agreed cost of living increase of 4% for ESB pensioners will be approved and paid. This is on behalf of a constituent with 49 years of service, which is a considerable working life. Like everybody else, he could detail the cost of living crisis and so on. I ask that this is addressed as soon as possible.
I am conscious of time and will cut straight to the matter. On 17 January of this year, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications wrote to my Department confirming the consent of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to a pension increase of 4%. On 30 January, officials in my Department agreed to this and I wrote back to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, which subsequently informed the ESB. Payment of the increase to all pensioners, including the Deputy’s constituent, which will be backdated to 1 January 2024, is now a matter for the ESB.
Go raibh maith agat. At this stage, this is with the ESB and everything has been done from a governmental point of view. It is just the case that the ESB has to get its act together. I would appreciate it if the Government could make any sort of contact with the ESB and I will do the same. My constituent and others are awaiting this and cannot understand the impediment. We just need to make it happen as soon as possible.
The ESB most certainly does have its act together. In fairness to it and other bodies, the pay agreement was only made a couple of weeks ago, with the knock-on impact that it has for all of the other issues in this regard.
As I said, the Department wrote to my own Department in the middle of the year and we responded very quickly. This payment will be backdated. I am confident that the ESB will look to expedite it as quickly as possible.
