Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

At a recent conference in Kenmare, County Kerry, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Brian Cowen, stated that the benchmarking body, in making comparisons and recommendations for future pay awards, is "likely to give greater weight to the value of the public service pension package". At the same conference, by coincidence, Mr. Fergal O'Brien of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation called on the Government to cap its contribution to public sector pensions. Does the Taoiseach agree that this is a worrying coincidence, particularly for workers in the public service, including his Department? Those workers, on a generational basis, have campaigned and fought hard to win pension entitlements and rights to certain pension levels but the signal is very clear that these are now threatened. Will the Taoiseach assure all concerned that there will be no attempt to erode the value of pensions to workers in the public service and that there will be no attempt at the dubious exercise in balancing the value of pensions against future pay awards?

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