Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 9, lines 26 to 28, to delete all words from and including "in" where it secondly occurs in line 26 down to and including "superannuation" in line 28 and substitute the following:"upon and subject to such terms and conditions as are not less favourable to him or her than the terms and conditions in relation to the grant of such benefits under the superannuation scheme or arrangement".

These amendments relate to the pension conditions and clarify the terms. Under the Industrial Development Act 1993 and related legislation, Forfás is statutorily the employer of staff in Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. These staff are employed by Forfás and seconded to the individual agencies. Parts 2 to 4 of the Bill make provision for Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland to become employers of their own staff, and Forfás staff currently on secondment to these agencies will become employees of their respective agency.

The Bill provides for each agency to establish new pension schemes in respect of staff transferring from Forfás. Amendments Nos. 2, 4 and 7 strengthen the language used in the original Bill with regard to confirming that staff who transfer to Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland will do so on no less favourable conditions of superannuation than applied under the superannuation scheme from which they are transferring.

Sections 7, 10 and 13, respectively, provide for Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland to establish new superannuation schemes in respect of staff transferring from Forfás to each of the agencies under sections 6(1), 9(1) and 12(1). It is proposed to delete the phrase relating to exercise of "discretion" through amendments Nos. 3, 5 and 8, as the new superannuation schemes to be established by these agencies, which the transferred staff will join, will include provision for the exercise of discretion by the employer.

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