Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I support the amendment, which we debated on Committee Stage. We also debated this issue yesterday while dealing with earlier amendments on the superannuation schemes. However, Members have received many complaints from the former staff of State agencies who were initially employed in the Civil Service before the State bodies to which they were transferred were established. Consequently, the terms and conditions of their superannuation schemes were amended. For example, pensioners attached to Dublin Port Company complain that the indexation of their pensions, which they had expected to continue, was arbitrarily withdrawn. Deputy Durkan is seeking to provide an additional protection for the staff of the proposed new agency, who were first transferred from the Civil Service in 1995.

This issue will continue to grow. For example, in Italy and Germany, governments arbitrarily decided that public sector pensions for which they were directly responsible would be subject to different terms and conditions. This is a concern and Deputy Durkan's attempt to provide for additional invigilation by the Pensions Board has merit.

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