Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Nobody is blocking the Deputy from doing so. He is totally free to argue his case and bring the Bill through the system. What the Government is stating is that it does not agree with the Bill. We think it is a flawed Bill that will not solve the problem the Deputy wants to solve. It will also complicate the industrial relations machinery we have that operates extremely well because it brings in people who have left the workforce to have a say on existing situations within the workforce. We do not believe that will help.

In regard to the law, the role of the pensions ombudsman already exists in Part XII of the Pensions Act to act as an independent and impartial means of resolving complaints alleging financial loss occasioned by an act of maladministration and disputes of fact or law in respect of occupational pension schemes and personal retirement saving schemes. There is legislation in place. We are not the line Department in respect of that legislation. When I met the groups, I understood that their particular concern is that they feel they are left out and not consulted at various stages. My interpretation of the law is that they are consulted, but they feel they cannot put an agenda on it; they are consulted but they are not listened to. It may be possible to strengthen the legislation but Deputy Paul Murphy's Bill is not the answer. I do not think he wants to hear that, but if he believes it is the answer, I am not stopping him from pushing it.

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