Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask that the Leader contact the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine regarding an issue that has been raised by former Civil Service and Coillte pensioners, many of whom are on fixed incomes and have received no pension increase since 2007. The Forestry Act 1988 established Coillte and provided for the transfer of staff from the then Department of Energy to Coillte. Sections 43 and 44 set out the key provisions of the Act applying to the transfer of staff. The Act provided protections to the staff, which they relied upon, including a statutory requirement that their terms and services of employment would be no less favourable than those applying to the Civil Service. In addition, section 44(4) provides that the pension scheme "shall be no less favourable in its conditions than those enjoyed by the transferred members from 1 January 1989". Prior to that date, transferred staff had access to a non-contributory pension scheme within the Civil Service, with the long-established practice whereby pensions were increased in line with general pay increases. Coillte continued to operate the pension scheme in the same manner until 2008. Notwithstanding the protections afforded under the Act, there have been a number of employee pay increases without corresponding increases in the pensions of retired staff. While some members may have access to a State contributory pension, many others rely solely on a pension that has not increased since 2007. It is clear this stage that the actions of the company, with the apparent consent of the Minister of the day, have brought the staff transferred from the Department of Energy to Coillte to less favourable conditions than those enjoyed prior to the establishment of the company. In particular, the company's actions have sought to break the link between pay increases and pensions. I ask the Leader to contact the Minister. This is a national campaign by former Coillte civil servants and pensioners. We are talking about approximately 1,443 pensioners. I believe they have a strong case, based on the commitments given when Coillte was established under the Act. I will certainly be raising the matter directly here at a future date if possible.