Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to ask the Minister a technical question on section 11 which deals with restructuring. It provides that in the event of a fund being restructured, there is a limit to the amount to which one can reduce certain people's benefits. That is dealt with in the eighth paragraph of the new section 1B. It states that the restrictions apply only to benefits payable from the scheme to or in respect of persons receiving benefits under the scheme or persons who have reached normal pensionable age. Does that distinguish between existing active pensioners and deferred pensioners? Does it confine the curtailment of or restriction on the trustees to people in receipt of pensions? Does it mean, for example, that the benefit of an active pensioner can only be reduced by so much, whereas in the case of a deferred pension they can do what they like and there is no limit? Is a distinction being created here between active and deferred pensioners?