John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On the last day of the Dáil before the summer recess in July, the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill was debated and concluded Second Stage. The debate was unusual because the Bill as presented on Second Stage was substantially different from the Bill that had undergone pre-legislative scrutiny. The section around defined benefit schemes was not included. The Minister acknowledged that. She said it was a work in progress and that she would bring forward amendments on Committee Stage. She went on to say that the amendments would better protect the benefits of scheme members.

In the interim nothing has happened. Recently, we discovered that Irish Life is in the process of closing its defined benefit scheme.

This will affect 3,000 members. The scheme is in surplus to the tune of €200 million. My concern is that the Government, having introduced the legislation and indicated the changes it intends to make has left a void. The members of other defined benefit schemes face a degree of peril or risk because of the Government's failure to move as it said it would. Second Stage was debated on 14 July and Committee Stage amendments are awaited. In the interim the void the Government has created is causing serious concern among other members of the schemes. Can the Minister give a commitment that those Committee Stage amendments will be dealt with urgently?

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