Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is right: it is primarily a matter of concern for the CIÉ group. However, since the amalgamation of the five schemes into two by way of primary legislation in 1994, that responsibility has been there on a statutory basis in respect of how these schemes must be funded. As the sole shareholder in the CIÉ group, the Minister has a responsibility to ensure that the CIÉ group adheres to the legislation as agreed by the Houses of the Oireachtas in 1994. When the groups were before the Oireachtas committee earlier this year, SIPTU representatives produced a document which, it is alleged, came from the CIÉ group. They themselves suspected in 2009 that CIÉ had a minimum legal requirement to fund its two pension schemes by an additional €11 million but that it may also be legally necessary to fund its two pension schemes by an additional €26 million. Has the Minister ever found out whether this document originated or was brought about by CIÉ itself and whether it compiled the document? Furthermore, the Minister said today that the CIÉ group indicated that it was prepared to give funding for independent legal advice. From engaging with representatives of this pension scheme, that is not my understanding.

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