Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

71. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to provide a pension scheme to community employment scheme supervisors; the number of supervisors affected in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26532/18]

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

Community Employment (CE) scheme supervisors are employees of private companies in the community and voluntary sector that receive public funding and are not employees of my Department, nor are they public servants. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) have taken the lead in addressing the entitlement of CE supervisors to occupational pensions. A Community Sector High Level Forum, chaired by DPER is currently examining this issue. Other Departments including my Department are represented on this group, as are the unions and Pobal and a number of meetings have been held.

A detailed scoping exercise was carried out with input from the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) on the potential costs of providing Exchequer support for the establishment of such a pension scheme for employees across the Community and Voluntary sector in Ireland.

The exercise clearly illustrated that this matter presents very significant issues for the Exchequer, with a potential cost to the State of €188 million per annum in respect of funding to enable an employer pension contribution in State funded Community and Voluntary organisations, excluding any provision for immediate ex-gratia lump sum payment of pension as sought, which could, depending on the size of the sector, entail a further Exchequer cost of up to €318 million.

I am very conscious that while the issue relates to Community Employment supervisors and assistant supervisors, such individuals comprise of just one small group within the wider Community and Voluntary sector any provision of State funding for such a scheme in respect of those employees could potentially give rise to claims for similar schemes on the part of those in the broader sector, thus crystallising the potential level of liability. Any solution to this issue will require careful consideration, in particular the implications for scarce Exchequer resources.

As at the end of May 2018 there are 100 supervisors and 9 assistant supervisors in County Cork.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.