Sheila Terry (Fine Gael)

While he may be there, I may not be here to keep pursuing it and I seem to be a lone voice. I will do my best to ensure I return to this House to annoy whoever the Minister might be and see through the matter. I am doing this in the best interest of the people who have not been well served and in the interest of all the young people who are being encouraged at every hand's turn to take out pensions.

The people coming up to retirement or who have already retired were compelled to join pension schemes. Some young people joining companies today are still required to join the company pension plan, which is not right. I do not believe in compulsory membership where people have no control and are given a false sense of security that their pensions will be secure. We know that is not the case and something needs to be done about it. I hope the Green Paper will bring about change in this regard. We have seen many reports from the Pensions Board that do not address this area, which represents a major flaw in the system. We need to change the membership of the Pensions Board. The board needs more ordinary members and workers, who experience the difficulties I have highlighted. Too many members of the board have a vested interest which is not good for any board.

I thank the Minister for his interest in the area. I am concerned we have not achieved anything since I first started highlighting the issues concerning occupational pension schemes. I ask the Minister to consider accepting my amendment. It does not just concern deferred members; it is about future information that we may want after implementation of the recommendations in the Green Paper or at any other time. We are entitled to get that information, which should be made available. When members of the public write to the Pensions Board or to the Department, they are entitled to an honest answer and not to be fobbed off with the types of responses I read out earlier. It is a disgrace for such answers to be sent by any Department or by the Pensions Board.