Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 522: To ask the Minister for Transport if, in respect of the topping up of the Irish airlines pension scheme, he will top up the entire scheme or just the Aer Lingus portion of the scheme. [15376/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I have no direct function in connection with the funding of the scheme. In the context of the planned independent public offering of shares in Aer Lingus I have said that the Minister for Finance and I are open to considering the question of the company using part of the proceeds from issuing new shares to address the funding position in the company's pension scheme in the context of an overall solution involving increased employer and employees contributions going forward. Any sum applied by Aer Lingus on a result of the transaction would be used to address its own portion of the scheme.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 523: To ask the Minister for Transport how he intends to resolve the under funding of the Irish airlines pension scheme in relation to former Aer Lingus employees, now working for a company (details supplied) who are members of the scheme. [15377/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I have no direct function in connection with funding the Scheme. In the context of the planned independent public offering of shares in Aer Lingus, I mandated Aer Lingus management to engage with the trade unions to address the key concerns of staff in regard to a third party investment, including pensions. The mandate to Aer Lingus management does not relate to persons now employed by the company to which the Deputy refers.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 524: To ask the Minister for Transport the amount by which a company's (details supplied) portion of the Irish airlines pension scheme is under funded; and the amount of this under funding which is the responsibility of Aer Lingus. [15378/06]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish Airlines (General Employees) Superannuation Scheme is a multi-employer scheme in which Aer Lingus, the Dublin Airport Authority and the company to which the Deputy refers participate.

The company to which the Deputy refers is a private sector company and I have no function in respect of it. Aer Lingus advises me that under the rules of the scheme it has no funding obligation to the scheme beyond its current contribution levels in respect of current Aer Lingus employees.