Seanad debates

Thursday, 25 April 2013

11:10 am

Photo of Maurice CumminsMaurice Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Senator Cullinane raised the issue of Waterford Crystal and the fact that the union and workers won their case. As a native of Waterford city, I welcome that decision. They won the case which was based on the seven points that were raised. It goes back to Article 8 of the 1980 EU directive, which was not properly transposed into law here. It was a failure of the Government at the time. The Carol Robins case in the UK was in 2007, but the Government did not act on that.

One finding was the onus now is on the State to police such pensions in the pensions schemes of all these companies. In that case the court also found that the State pension did not count in calculating the 49% or 50% that is absolutely necessary in order for people to get a minimum amount from their pension. People who had worked in Waterford Crystal for 40 or 45 years came out with only 18% or 20% of their entitlements from a scheme into which they had paid over the years. This was an absolute disgrace and should not be allowed to happen. I acknowledge the current Government also fought this case, and lost it, but I hope negotiations now will be held with the unions to address the findings of the European Court of Justice. Hopefully, this wrong will be righted in the not-too-distant future because many people who had been paying into their pension funds for years found themselves without a penny. It is a disgrace and there have been a number of requests, even this morning, that Members would have a debate on pensions. On foot of the publication of the OECD report, it probably is the right time for such a debate and I certainly will ask the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, to come into the House to address that issue.

Senator Mullins raised the issue of the easy availability of alcohol. Senator Mooney also raised this issue with regard to the sponsorship of sport by the drinks companies. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy White, indicated he would come into the House again to address this issue. As to whether it is necessary for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, or the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ring, to come into the House, Members definitely will have one of the-----

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