11 Feabh 2014, 15:20
The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection will tomorrow meet with officials from the Departments of Social Protection and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to consider the implications for employees to changes to the Pension Age.
11 February 2014
Representatives from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions will also address the Committee. Since 1 January this year, the State Pension age increased to age 66, and is scheduled to increase to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028.
Chair of the Committee, Joanna Tuffy, TD, says “Countries across the developed world are facing demographic challenges, which are posing challenges to the sustainability of their pension systems. Accounting for some 30 percent of all social welfare expenditure, the Irish State pension is a very important payment for individuals, families and communities country-wide. The meeting tomorrow with Department and Trade Union Officials will allow the Committee assess the impact of the recent and prospective changes to pension age.
“Representatives from the Department of Social Protection will outline the underlying policy rationale for the changes, while their colleagues from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation will provide further information on the employment aspects. Representatives from ICTU are expected to outline their opposition to the proposals, noting that citizens are being deprived a benefit they earned and paid for.”
Separately, the Committee will also meet with David J. O’Callaghan, Chairperson Designate of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. The Board is a relatively new body established to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million pledged by the 18 religious congregations to support the needs of some 15,000 survivors of residential institutional child abuse.
Deputy Tuffy continues: “Central to this Committee’s consideration of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill in 2012 was to ensure that compensation is dispensed to victims in a fair, timely and simplified manner. Tomorrow’s meeting is a valuable opportunity for our Committee to engage with the Chairperson Designate of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board regarding the approach he proposes to take as Chairperson of this important Board.
“The meeting will serve to contribute to transparency in appointments to State Boards and a transcript of the discussion will be sent to the Minister for Education for his consideration in the appointment process.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 12 February at 1 pm in Committee Room 3, LH 2000. Commencing with engagement with Mr O'Callaghan, Committee proceedings can be followed live here.
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Committee Membership
Deputy Joanna Tuffy - Chair
Deputies James Bannon, Ray Butler, Joan Collins, Clare Daly, Brendan Griffin , Jim Daly, Derek Keating, Charlie McConalogue, Nicky McFadden, Jonathan O’Brien, Willie O’Dea, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Brendan Ryan
Senators Terry Brennan, Jim D'Arcy, Marie Moloney, Mary Moran, Marie-Louise O’Donnell, Averil Power