Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Government is engaging in rank hypocrisy in this regard. There is a legal basis to say that when programmes are directed and funded by the State - and the State really controls all the elements relating to the employment of those people - it has a de factoresponsibility to recognise that fact. There has been a Labour Court ruling on the matter. Is the Government really saying that it does not need to abide by such rulings? What kind of precedent does that set for all the other people who have taken cases to the Labour Court? It is disgraceful that the Government would provide that type of example. In light of what is being said about other pension issues at present, the Government really needs to look at this scenario because people are retiring. It needs to rectify the situation and tell the group that is convening to make its deliberations far more quickly and resolve these issues for those people who, while we are speaking here, have no idea where they stand as regard their pension entitlements.