Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)

The Tánaiste has a pensions double-header coming up from the Labour Party here.

I will be returning to the issue of the An Post pensioners. The Tánaiste will be aware that, in September of this year, An Post management agreed with the Communications Workers' Union, CWU, an increase of pensionable pay by 7%, with 6% backdated to 1 January and 1% to 1 June. The current code of practice for the governance of State bodies requires An Post to obtain ministerial approval before paying the increases mandated by the superannuation scheme rules and for Ministers to consider a review by NewERA before approving the increase. This completely unnecessary review process has been underway since 23 October. As Ministers and NewERA have no authority to disregard the rules of the scheme, why is it taking so long to approve the increases and will the Tánaiste give an unequivocal undertaking that pensioners will receive their increases before Christmas?

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