Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)

Senator Terry's amendment calls for a statutory restatement to be published within three months. The Pensions Board provides a legislation service by paying a fee, under which subscribers receive a non-statutory consolidated text of the Pensions Acts and regulations, including all amendments to date. The text of the legislation is made available in loose-leaf format, which allows it to be updated regularly. The legislation service is updated following any amendments to the Acts or regulations and is presented in two volumes. The first volume contains a consolidated text of the Pensions Acts and the second contains the regulations made under the Acts. Due to the availability of this service, a restatement of the Acts is not a priority at this time, but I will examine the issue again.

Restatements do not change the law in any way. They combine the Acts and their amendments in a more reader-friendly and up-to-date version. This has already been achieved by the informal arrangements in place for the Pensions Acts. The Pensions Board produces a range of booklets, guides and frequently asked questions for non-practitioners, explaining the legislative requirements in an accessible and user-friendly way. I have asked the Pensions Board to conduct campaigns about pensions to describe what is on offer as a more effective way of dealing with this issue in the short term. I will also ask it to augment the awareness campaign it has under way at the moment.

I agree that the area of pensions is a complicated minefield. Some are experts in it and others find it difficult territory. One must be financially literate to deal with the level of complexity involved. It is incumbent on a State authority, in this instance the Pensions Board, to explain, simplify and translate financial gobbledegook into concepts that people can understand. I will encourage the board to sustain its efforts.

Senator Cox raised the issue of missionaries' entitlements to old age pensions. There is support in place as they may qualify for means-tested non-contributory pensions on their return to Ireland, assuming they pass the means test. I will give the Senator more information on the topic but this is the advice I have received. They would not be entitled to contributory pensions as it is not likely that they would have made contributions to the social fund.