Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will answer what I can today. Like many other semi-State companies, CIÉ has a responsibility towards its pensioners and workers who will be future pensioners in terms of ensuring that pension funds are solvent. Many, if not all, of the semi-State companies and agencies have sought to restructure pension funds accordingly. The ESB and Coillte have done so. CIÉ has worked with unions to ensure that there is an understanding around funding pension funds appropriately for the future. There is an obligation on the board and management of CIÉ to work with union representatives to make sure that is the case.

The Deputy said she will have an opportunity to tease some of those things out in committee and hear the concerns of unions, which I welcome. I would also like to make it very clear that boards and management in semi-State companies have a responsibility to face up to pension challenges, as the private sector has been doing for years. That sometimes involves co-operation and compromise from the union side. If that is not possible, then there is an infrastructure in the State to help to find compromise and resolution to those issues and problems. CIÉ should be no different.

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