Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to raise this matter along with Deputy Ryan. No one wants to see a strike in Dublin Airport or in Shannon or Cork. I hope the pensions dispute can be resolved by agreement as otherwise it would greatly affect the tourism industry.

I discussed this matter today with Deputy Ó Ríordáin and we were looking at the figures. When one takes into consideration Aer Lingus, the Dublin Airport Authority and others, approximately 5,800 people will be affected by this, and in that sense I mean deferred members. Those with deferred pensions, as a result of cost-cutting and restructuring within the company, took redundancy and, by doing so, have helped the company return to profitability. Members who have left employment but are not yet on pension have no power. They have no representation. They cannot close the airport and are facing a much reduced pension entitlement.

I am not asking for special treatment but for fairness for the former workers. The deferred members have no access to the industrial relations mechanisms of the State. They have been frozen out. Will the Minister of State take this matter up with his colleagues to ensure that, in the interests of fairness, the interests of those members are protected?

See this speech in context