Mr. Tim Duggan:

The definition of member's benefits is a matter for the trustees and they are required, under law, to act in the best interests of all members of the scheme. It is a function of the trustees to determine that. There is guidance from the Pensions Authority on that but by and large, it is a legal function of the trustees.

The Minister has said previously that he intends to publish an entire pensions reform action plan later this year. Included in that will be measures dealing with reform and simplification of pension schemes generally in the private sector and particularly the transposition of what is known as the IORP II directive. That directive and some of the proposals by the Pensions Authority are around the qualifications, expertise and knowledge sets of trustees and their ability to properly administer the schemes for which they have responsibility. The combination of the two should result in better trusteeship of schemes and better outcomes consequently, one would hope, for the members.

I was not entirely clear on what Senator Higgins meant by the period around the equality heads and I would ask her to clarify that.