Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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100. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the high level forum which was established some seven months ago will make recommendations in relation to the provision of a pension or gratuity scheme for community employment supervisors and assist community supervisors in the context of a Labour Court recommendation which facilitated the awarding of such pensions gratuity and in circumstances in which many such personnel are now coming to retirement age and have just the old age State pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40692/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Community Sector High Level Forum was reconvened in 2015 and met most recently on 7th April 2017, to give consideration to a number of issues including the issue to which the Deputy refers.

In considering the matter, I must have regard to the costs and precedent of such an arrangement were one to be created. A scoping exercise is currently being progressed by officials in my Department and should be completed later this year.

It continues to be the position that state organisations are not the employer of the particular employees concerned and that it is not possible for the State to provide funding for such a scheme. The employees in question are, or were, employees of private companies notwithstanding the fact that the companies concerned are, or were, reliant on State funding.