Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

56. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when she will bring forward the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017, which was due to be considered by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection on 31 May 2018. [26530/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Second Stage of the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017 concluded on 4th October 2017. Government approval to draft provisions for a number of additional items to be included in the Bill at Committee Stage was obtained subsequently. These provisions are currently being finalised by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. They include amongst others, provisions related to Defined Benefit Pensions and measures related to GDPR.In respect of the Defined Benefit provisions, the purpose of this Bill is to respond to the ongoing difficulties in DB schemes and to increase protections for members as well as encouraging employers to ensure that schemes are well funded and managed. These provisions are quite technical and complex, however, work to finalise them is at an advanced stage.

The Bill was provisionally scheduled for Committee Stage on the 31st May. This date was postponed for a short period to allow for the finalisation of the necessary Government amendments. When these amendments have been finalised an early date will be requested from the Committee.