Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Independent)
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202. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will publish the minutes of meetings held between her Department and the Department of Finance pertaining to the Universal Retirement Savings Development Group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12858/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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In line with the Statement of Government Priorities, the Government recently decided to proceed with work to develop a roadmap for the introduction of a new, universal, supplementary workplace retirement saving scheme. The Universal Retirement Savings Group (URSG) has been established to consider the constituent factors involved in constructing an efficient and effective universal retirement savings system and to bring forward a recommendation in the form of a roadmap and estimated timeline for introduction.

The URSG consists of senior officials from a range of key Government departments and those public bodies with a particular responsibility and expertise in the area. Membership also includes international representatives from the UK's Department for Work and Pensions and the OECD who bring significant expertise in designing, delivering and assessing supplementary pension systems.

Two meetings of the URSG have taken place to date. As the Group is managing the deliberative process which will underpin the development of the roadmap, material relating to deliberations will be available after it has been considered by Government. In undertaking specific or specialised areas of its work programme the Group will consult with, and invite submissions from, pension's experts external to the Group. This will include establishing reference groups to utilise expertise and facilitate input from various sectorial interests such as those from the pensions industry, representatives of employers, trade unions and consumer/interest groups. The consultation process will also include an open invitation for written submissions from any parties with an interest in this area.