Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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142. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the initiative proposed by the Secretary General of his Department and the Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation to the expert panel in respect the Irish Airlines (General Employees) Superannuation Scheme dispute has addressed the fact that the substantial changes to the terms and conditions of employment of employees of the airport police and fire service, involving medical and fitness, tests and a five year increase in retirement age, is a major factor in the rejection of the proposal by staff in the Dublin Airport Authority and the Shannon Airport Authority; and if they have plans to address this. [9991/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As indicated in my response to PQ no.124 following completion of its engagement with daa and the unions, the Final Determination of the Expert Panel was published yesterday.

In its Determination, a copy of which can be found on my Department’s website, the Expert Panel has, inter alia, made recommendations regarding pension and medical arrangements for the Airport Fire and Police Service in daa and Shannon Airport Authority.

The document states that the unions have confirmed that the June 2014 Report together with this Determination are to be put to an immediate ballot/reballot to all members to be conducted as quickly as possible.  It also states that the unions “confirmed that it will be made clear to members that this outcome is the absolute best that can be achieved in negotiations.”

Now that the unions themselves recognise that this is the absolute best that can be achieved, I urge all concerned to vote for a positive outcome in the ballot.  This will mean that the IASS issues can be resolved once and for all and that staff in daa and Shannon Airport Authority will finally have clarity and certainty about their future pension arrangements.