David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 142: To ask the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 173 of 11 February 2009, the certain limited terms and conditions of employment under the Postal and Telecommunication Services Act 1983 and the Postal and Telecommunications Services (Amendment) Act 1999 that derive from Eircom employees previous employment in that Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6529/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources has primary responsibility for matters relating to eircom and in relation to the Postal and Telecommunication Services Act 1983 and the Postal and Telecommunications Services (Amendment) Act 1999.

As the Deputy is aware, Telecom Éireann was floated on the Stock Exchange as a private limited company in July 1999 and renamed eircom. It is now in the private sector and employees are employees of eircom. The current terms and conditions of employment of all its employees is a matter between eircom as a private company and the employees and the staff unions concerned.

The Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 made provision for the transfer of staff from the then Department of Posts and Telegraphs to Telecom Eireann. The staff transferred became employees of the company on vesting day. The legislation provided that, until such time as they were varied by the company, following consultation with recognised trade unions and staff associations, the terms and conditions of the staff transferring would be no less favourable than those that applied immediately before vesting day.

Similar provisions in respect of pension arrangements were provided for the transferred staff in that provision was made for no less favourable conditions in respect of persons who, immediately before the vesting day, were members of the staff of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs than those to which they were entitled immediately before vesting day.