Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The issue of addressing the entitlement of community employment supervisors to occupational pensions is primarily a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. For the record, it should be noted that my Department is not the employer of CE supervisors and, therefore, such employees are not public servants. They are employees of limited companies that receive public funding.

It should also be noted that the issue of CE supervisors' pension provision is being examined by a community sector high level forum, chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. My Department is represented on this group, as are the unions, Pobal and other relevant Departments, but it has only one input.

I am conscious of the need for a resolution of this matter. I am also conscious that this issue requires careful consideration, having regard to the hundreds of thousands of people who work in the community and voluntary sector and the implications of any decision on scarce Exchequer resources, particularly in light of the large size of the community and voluntary sector in Ireland.

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