Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41838/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Pensions Board is a regulatory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection. The statutory role of the Board is to monitor and supervise the operation of the Pensions Act 1990. The Board was established in 1991 under the provisions of the Pensions Act, 1990, as amended, and comprises a chairperson and 16 ordinary members appointed by the Minister for Social Protection.

The Act defines the functions of the Board as follows: · to monitor and supervise the operation of the Pensions Act and pensions development generally, including trust Retirement Annuity Contracts (RACs) and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) · to issue guidelines or guidance notes on the duties and responsibilities of trustees of schemes and codes of practice on specific aspects of their responsibilities · to issue guidelines or guidance generally on the operation of the Pensions Act and on the provisions of the Family Law Act, 1995, and the Family Law (Divorce) Act, 1996, relating to pension schemes · to encourage and support the provision of appropriate training facilities for trustees of schemes · to advise the Minister on all matters relating to functions assigned to the Board under the Pensions Act and on matters relating to pensions generally and to undertake such tasks as the Minister may, from time to time, request.

The Pensions Board aims to: promote the security and protection of members of occupational pension schemes, trust RACs and contributors to Personal Retirement Savings Accounts in accordance with the Pensions Act promote the development of efficient national pension structures promote a level of participation in the national pension system which enables all citizens to acquire an adequate retirement income provide information and authoritative guidance to relevant parties in support of pension security, structures and participation.

All members of the Board are appointed by the Minister for Social Protection under the provisions of the Act and must comprise representatives of trade unions, employers, consumer interests, pensioner interests, the Government, the pensions industry, member trustees and professional groups involved with pension arrangements. The term of office for Board members is five years. Casual vacancies are filled directly by the Minister, on the nomination of the relevant nominating body, as appropriate. A person who fills a casual vacancy holds office for the remainder of the current five year period which commenced on 21 December 2005 and which will expire on 20 December 2010. A new Board will be appointed from 21 December 2010.

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a matter (details supplied) [41839/10]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The Pensions Board is a regulatory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection. The statutory role of the Board is to monitor and supervise the operation of the Pensions Act 1990.

The operations of the Pensions Board are largely financed by annual fees payable to it by occupational pension schemes and by providers of Personal Retirement Savings Accounts and trust RACs. My Department funds the National Pensions Awareness Campaign for which €500,000 has been allocated in 2010.

A table showing the number of staff and funding received from my Department for each of the years in question is set out below.

Staff numbers are as of 31 December except for 2010 which is current staff numbers. The numbers include a temporary staff member at Assistant Principal level which is funded by National Pensions Awareness Campaign.