Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with other Members of the House in congratulating our two new colleagues, Senators Anthony Lawlor and Ian Marshall. I wish them well and a long term in the House.

I ask the Deputy Leader to secure the attendance of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection in the House in respect of pensions. We have all received many letters recently from people working for Irish Life in respect of their Irish Life defined benefit pensions. This could spread to other companies as well. The Irish Life scheme meets the funding standard. There are 1,000 employees in it and the company has €1.3 billion in assets. As the fund itself has €240 million, it meets all the criteria. Irish Life is the biggest provider of pensions in the country. It was bailed out by the State and this is an issue we need to talk about. I hope the Minister will come to the House to address the whole area of pensions.