Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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36. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the discussions she has had with the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in order to deal with the way pensioners can get access to the State's industrial relations machinery when their retirement income is being altered, an issue which she has acknowledged needs to be addressed. [4906/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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I am glad to say that I have approved measures to facilitate engagement between the trustees of a pension scheme and groups representing the interests of pensioner and deferred scheme members. I recently signed the Occupational Pensions Schemes (Section 50 and 50B) (Amendments) Regulations, 2015 and approved Pensions Authority guidance to facilitate this change.The change to regulations will require the Pensions Authority to notify groups representing the interests of pensioner and deferred scheme members in situations where the Pensions Authority is proposing to issue a unilateral direction under section 50 of the Pensions Act to restructure scheme benefits or to wind up a pension scheme under section 50B. This requirement will afford the representative group an opportunity to make a submission to the Pensions Authority in relation to such proposals. The Regulations also give the representative group the right to appeal such a direction by the Pensions Authority to the High Court on a point of law. I also approved an amendment to guidance issued by the Pensions Authority on this matter. This change to guidance will require the trustees of a pension scheme to notify groups representing the interest of scheme members of proposals by the trustees of a defined benefit pension scheme to issue a direction under section 50 of the Pensions Act to restructure scheme benefits. This requirement will afford the representative group an opportunity to make a submission to the trustees of a pension scheme in relation to proposals to restructure scheme benefits.

These changes will facilitate engagement between groups representing the interests of pensioner and deferred scheme members and the Pension Authority and the trustees of a pension scheme.

The question of whether it is appropriate that groups representing the interests of pensioners and deferred scheme members have access to the State’s industrial relations machinery in pursuing pension scheme matter has been raised for consideration with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and officials of both Departments have met to discuss this matter. It is acknowledged that the industrial relations system in Ireland is voluntary in nature both as regards access to the Labour Relations Commission and the Labour Court. Any change to that principle which would put in place a mandated right to be part of the process would alter fundamentally the conduct of industrial relations.