Imelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister completely ignored the question. It boils down to the fact that the Government has allowed CIÉ to show blatant disregard for a ministerial order. The issue was raised today in the Committee of Public Accounts by my colleague, Deputy Cullinane.

The Comptroller and Auditor General said this was a statutory, rather than a private, pension scheme. There are legislation and statutory instruments. The Minister knows what "statutory" means - it means responsibility and with responsibility comes accountability. The Government has allowed this to happen but I am quite sure it would not allow it to happen to its members' pensions, or I should say their multiple pensions. Over 10,000 CIÉ workers have been left in limbo for the past eight years because the Government has allowed CIÉ to ignore statutory instruments. The Government cannot hide behind CIÉ on this issue. CIÉ has, quite simply, broken the law and I wonder if the Tánaiste would care a bit more about it if it related to his pension. Was this issue not brought to the Cabinet's attention?

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