Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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That is helpful to know. Is it agreed that we make the correspondent, Mr. Gorman, aware that his correspondence has been considered by the committee and that the matter is now on the parliamentary record? Agreed.

There are two more items of correspondence. No. 2120 C is from an individual, dated 21 August 2023, regarding the Córas Iompair Éireann, CIÉ, superannuation scheme. It is proposed to note and publish this correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. There is an issue regarding the pension scheme in CIÉ. While I know it is a semi-State body, I think it is in the public interest. Some members will have perhaps seen letters similar to this letter of correspondence from constituents. The letter states:

I am to advise on behalf of my retired colleagues in the CIÉ ... [pension] Scheme 1951 (Amendment Scheme 2000) that we are seeking that ... the chairperson of the CIÉ board of management would be invited to appear before the Public Accounts committee to answer as to why existing retired members of the Superannuation Scheme have not been granted a pension increase since 2008. It is our understanding at this juncture that the scheme is fully funded and has the capacity to absorb the appropriate pension increase for retired staff.

The correspondent goes on to highlight the cost of living. Obviously, it is a separate body, but I propose that we write to the chairperson of the board of CIÉ and highlight the fact that we are receiving correspondence. I do not know whether some members are receiving it at constituency level but I am certainly receiving it from people who are within this scheme and who have not had a pension increase in the last 15 years which, obviously, in the context of the cost-of-living crisis and everything else, is putting them under serious pressure. I suggest we ask the chairperson, Ms Fiona Ross, for her response with regard to what is happening, why people are not being granted a pay increase, whether there is a problem with the capacity of the fund - the correspondent does not seem to think there is - and whether their pension will be increased in the near future. It is a semi-State body. We do not want to get into the minutiae of this. It is the job of the management and their union to resolve these matters. This has been a recurring theme over the last three or four years, however, and it does not seem to be getting resolved. We might use our political representation to be able to do that. Is that agreed? Agreed.