Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator O'Brien's call for more Government interaction to deal with the pending Aer Lingus situation. Anyone who subscribes to a pension would feel that after so many years' work, their pension entitlement should be there for them. We need to distinguish between average pensions people contribute towards all their working lives and the astronomical gold-plated pensions of senior public servants we have seen over the years. People who work hard and contribute towards an ordinary, decent pension should not at this stage of their lives have concerns that their pension provisions will be completely dismantled.

I understand that negotiations at the DAA with Aer Lingus are fraught. These negotiations also cover Shannon Airport and former workers there. I would like to see a reinvigorated effort on the part of all parties to come up with a fair and equitable solution to the issue, including for people with deferred pensions who were encouraged to take early retirement and to go and pursue other careers in the knowledge their pension was deferred until they were 65. I have a major issue with people who have deferred pensions being made scapegoats, because they no longer have union or company representation. There is an issue in that regard.

I beg the Chair's indulgence to make one further comment. It has come to my attention today that there is an issue with regard to the staff of county enterprise boards transferring to local enterprise offices of county councils. People who have been acting in positions for a number of years are finding they are being downgraded several steps in the promotional chain.

It is only fair and reasonable that the small number of staff in county enterprise boards who are transferring to local authorities should keep the entitlements they have on the day of transfer. Any self-respecting Department would see the fairness and merit in that proposal. Will the Leader communicate to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, as well as the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government-----