Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is about to veto an increase in pensions for retired RTÉ staff. I am not talking about the famous and highly paid broadcasters but the ordinary, rank-and-file staff, who have not had a pension increase since 2008 and do not receive the State pension. One can imagine how crippling this is for them, especially with the cost of living increases we are witnessing. One of them said to me today, "This goes to show you it is normal for retired workers not to have a say whatsoever when decisions in regard to their own savings are being made. Pensions are deferred wages." I raise this in the context of the industrial relations Bill we brought to the House last year and which the Minister promised will be looked at and will go out to public consultation over the coming period. When we met with the Minister of State, Deputy English, before Christmas, he said there would be a public consultation process early in the new year. There is no sign of it.

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