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

The expert panel was appointed on 3 March following consultations between my Department and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation with IBEC and ICTU.  The panel was asked to carry out an investigation into how a final resolution of the industrial relations issues with the IAS scheme can be secured.  Last Monday, the panel made a preliminary report to the two Departments, IBEC and ICTU. The panel also issued a statement summarising the progress of its work to date.

 The panel has held a series of meetings with all the relevant parties including the DAA, Shannon Airport, Aer Lingus, the trade unions and representatives of deferred members and pensioners.  Through these meetings, it has identified a number of critical issues that it believes should now be jointly explored to deepen its understanding of the scope for progress among the parties. Intensive discussions on these issues are already under way and the panel will report back by 14 April.  It is important these discussions and deliberations be allowed proceed over the coming weeks without interference so that a resolution can be found to this long-standing and complex issue.

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have no formal function in the resolution of the funding difficulties of the IAS scheme. This is primarily a matter for the trustees, the members of the scheme, the companies participating in the scheme and the regulator of such pension schemes, namely, the Pensions Board. The purpose of the expert panel is to identify the critical issues and facilitate the parties in finding a solution. In circumstances where this work is still under way, the threat of industrial or legal action between the parties is not helpful. I hope that all the parties involved will put all their efforts into engaging with the expert panel in order to find the most feasible and equitable solution to this matter in a timely manner. This would be in the best interests of all parties.

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