Mr. Matt Kelly:

To follow up on what Ms de Buitléir has said, I will give a list of where we have been and where we had no representation or were refused representation. The Equality Tribunal will deal with equality only and it will only deal with pensioners for a 12 month period after they have left employment. We would much rather be regarded as former employees than as pensioners. The Ombudsman will only deal with individuals, and I have already made the point that individuals need their organisations to represent them. Industrial relations procedures provide protection for current workers and trade unions only and the people involved will not listen to us. The Pensions Authority will not listen to pensioners' organisations. Legal remedies, as has been mentioned, are absolutely cost prohibitive because any time we tackle the corporate State companies they throw every legal weapon available at us. It is an unequal fight. We do not have the resources to legally challenge the companies. I go back again to the minimum funding standard, which is torpedoing our pension funds and any hope we have of an increase in whatever time is left to us.