Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I oppose this section as it is basically the same as the previous section. It relates to non-covered public servants. All the arguments that applied to the previous section would apply to this section as well. The principle is linked to section 22, which entrenches discrimination between cohorts of public servants based on union membership and their level of support and opposition for the Government's industrial relations policies. The section imposes differential pension payment rates for those not signed up to the Public Service Stability Agreement, PSSA. Those covered public servants have an exemption threshold of €34,500 before they must make pension contributions. Workers who did not support the PSSA are on the threshold of €28,750. At a time when the inequalities in our pension system are receiving so much scrutiny due to the injustice of changes made in 2012 that overwhelmingly targeted disadvantaged women, it is not acceptable for the Government to further perpetuate pension inequality based on union membership.