Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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436. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if action can be taken to ensure that members of an association (details supplied) can have access to the State's dispute resolution machinery in respect of their ongoing entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17659/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In terms of access to the State's dispute resolution machinery, the Workplace Relations Commission and related institutions provide advice and assistance on industrial relations matters in the workplace to employers, employees and their representatives. There is no legislative provision for access to third-party adjudication in respect of pension entitlements for recipients of public service pensions. Indeed there is no such facility for recipients of the contributory state pension.

The interests and concerns of public service pensioners in relation to public service pension issues have been regularly articulated in meetings between the Alliance of Retired Public Servants and my Department.  This engagement has also included meetings between the alliance, myself and my predecessor. Through that process of engagement with the alliance, I believe that public service pensioners have had, and continue to be afforded, a meaningful and direct means of articulating their concerns in relation to pensions and related issues.