Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

There are over 700 defined benefit pension schemes in the State covering more than 100,000 people. These workers thought they had made provision for their retirement but in recent years there have been worrying precedents. The UK has enacted a law to prevent solvent companies from walking away from their obligations to their employees in respect of occupational pension schemes. In October 2017, the Government's Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill was referred to the select committee. Proposals to protect defined benefit schemes were promised in that legislation in response to a number of items of legislation put forward by the Deputies in Opposition. We have been waiting two years for the Minister to bring forward amendments that have been long-promised to protect these pension payers. Tomorrow, the Dáil will debate a Private Members' Bill in the name of Deputy Willie Penrose to achieve the objective I believe there is consensus in the House to achieve. Will the Taoiseach support that Bill?

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