Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if assistance will be given to retired pensioners to achieve clarity of pension entitlements (details supplied). [29941/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of pension entitlements to retired company employees is a matter for the company in question. Assistance to pensioners, seeking clarity in respect of entitlements, is given via an appeals mechanism which is set out clearly in the Pensions Ombudsman Regulations 2003, SI No. 397 of 2003. The company superannuation schemes also allow for such appeals to be made to the company. The schemes provide that: "If a member or former member is aggrieved by the failure or refusal of the company to make an award under this scheme or by the amount of the award made, he may appeal to the Minister who shall refer the dispute to the Minister for Finance whose decision shall be final." In this regard, a number of pensioners, formerly employed by An Post and Eircom, have submitted appeals to my Department in respect of their pension entitlements.

As the decision making power on pension appeals rests with the Minister for Finance, all appeals from An Post and Eircom pensioners thus far submitted to my Department, including that of the person referred to, have been forwarded to the Minister for Finance, who will issue his decision in the matter directly to the appellant. Should the appellant not be happy with this decision, it is open to him or her to then appeal to the Pensions Ombudsman.