Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A resolution of the funding difficulties in the Irish airlines superannuation scheme, IASS, where there is currently a substantial and unsustainable deficit of over €700 million, is a matter for the trustees, the companies participating in the scheme, the members and the pensions board.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have continually encouraged all parties to continue to use the State’s labour relations machinery to resolve these difficulties. For some time, all parties have participated in discussions with the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court to identify solutions. In May of last year, the Labour Court issued recommendations on the matter, including separate recommendations in relation to both Aer Lingus and DAA. A range of meetings involving the parties have taken place since then.

While I appreciate the frustration of staff in the companies, and indeed that of the employers, industrial action in DAA or Aer Lingus will not help to achieve a solution. It will, however, severely inconvenience passengers, including tourists and business travellers.  It will also adversely impact on the financial position of the companies who are being asked to contribute more to solve the problem. A strike will obviously make it harder for them to do so, as it will have an affect on their profits.

On behalf of the Government, I appeal to all concerned to reflect carefully on the negative implications of proceeding with any disruptive industrial action. A resolution must be found. The trustees have recently published revised proposals to address the deficit in the IASS. They only did that a few days ago. I welcome this initiative as I believe it will assist the parties to refocus on the search for sustainable compromise solutions to the funding problems in the scheme.

I urge all parties to re-engage on the basis of these new proposals, using the State’s labour relations machinery which is available to them.

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