Seán Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 165: To ask the Minister for Transport further to his recent meeting with the Retired Aviation Staff Association in regard to the potential shortfall of over €336 million in the staff pension fund, his proposals to address this matter. [29070/05]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I met with representatives of the Retired Aviation Staff Association most recently on 29 June 2005. Since that meeting, a further actuarial evaluation of the Irish airlines, general employees, superannuation scheme was made available in August 2005. The results of that evaluation showed that without provision for future indexation of pensions, the scheme has a surplus of €140 million. However, if provision is made for future indexation of pensions, the scheme has a potential deficit of €336 million.

As I have said in the House previously, pension entitlements for employees of commercial State bodies, including Aer Lingus and the Dublin Airport Authority, are matters primarily for the trustee, the members of the relevant scheme and the company or companies involved. The State is not involved in the funding of these schemes.

I appreciate that members of the Retired Aviation Staff Association have genuine concerns regarding their pensions. My Department has asked the companies to jointly examine the issues arising in regard to the pension scheme.