Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 127: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the most recent position and the engagement to date by her with unions in respect of introducing a pension scheme for community employment supervisors and assistant supervisors, as recommended by the Labour Court on 22 July 2008 in LCR19293; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36416/11]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 139: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the progress being made and any instructions issued by her regarding the implementation of Labour Court recommendations for the introduction of an agreed pension scheme for community employment scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36491/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 139 together.

The Labour Court recommended in July 2008 that an agreed pension scheme should be introduced for community employment (CE) scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors, and that such a scheme should be adequately funded by FÁS. Notwithstanding the positions of the Department in rejecting that liability for these costs falls to be met from public funds, this matter has been the subject of discussions between the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department, and the unions representing CE supervisors. In the event that funding was required from FÁS, the implementation of the claim is not considered sustainable in light of the current and ongoing fiscal environment and the requirement to contain and reduce public expenditure. The costs of the introduction of any scheme are likely to be of the order of €3m with retrospective costs of the order of at least €30m.

The Deputies should also note that FÁS is not the employer of CE supervisors and such employees are not public servants. Neither was FÁS a party to the Labour Court dispute on this matter. The responsibilities of the sponsoring organisations and the individuals concerned must also be recognised when considering pension provision arrangements.