Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if pension protection is to be offered to encourage volunteers for overseas aid development programmes. [14189/08]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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While responsibility for pension protection rests with the Department of Social and Family Affairs, pension protection for overseas development volunteers, and the protection of the interests of overseas development workers generally, are matters of concern to me. Officials of my Department have discussed these matters with the Department of Social and Family Affairs.

The present position is that social welfare legislation includes provisions for social protection for overseas development workers. These involve a Volunteer Development Worker credit scheme and contributions to the Public Service Pension Scheme. To help raise awareness of the importance of pension protection, this Department also provides support to Comhlámh, the Irish Association of Development Workers. An allocation of €60,000 has been made this year to Comhlámh towards awareness raising and to carry out administrative duties in relation to these services.