Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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71. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she is satisfied that the public consultation process on pension reform has been conducted adequately in view of the fact that the process is limited to an online survey only, in contrast to the 2010 public consultation on the national pensions framework, has involved no public meetings, conferences, no opportunity to submit open submissions and in further view of the fact that the consultation took place over the summer during the Dáil Éireann recess thus minimising publicity for and media coverage of same. [38786/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The consultation process on the proposed reforms actually dates back to October 2007 when the Government published the Green Paper on Pensions to stimulate debate on the challenges and options for the future development of pensions. The consultation process was lengthy, thorough and inclusive and included regional seminars, a national conference, and consultation meetings with sectorial interests as well as the written submissions. This consultation informed the development of the 2010 National Pensions Framework which included the policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) for the State Pension Contributory and auto-enrolment for supplementary pensions. This policy was endorsed by a subsequent review of the Irish Pensions System published by the OECD in 2013.

The Roadmap for Pensions Reform 2018-2023 is not another discussion paper - it is focused on implementing polices that have already been well debated and have broad support. In particular that the State pension will be reformed in line with the TCA recommended in the National Pensions Framework and that a system of auto-enrolment will be introduced.

I launched the public consultation on the design of the TCA on the 28th of May to which interest groups including pensioners, workers, employers, young people, the unemployed, etc. were invited. A number of workshops were also held on the day to elicit views and feedback. Members of the media were also there and the consultation was featured extensively on broadcast and written media.

All Oireachtas members were also invited to a briefing. The consultation was open for over 3 months and we received almost 300 responses from individuals and organisations including open written submissions. I will consider the views expressed in the responses to the consultation in the context of finalising the final TCA model for Government approval.

An analysis of the views submitted is now being undertaken and feedback will be published on the Department's website. The analysis being undertaken will, as is standard, also consider if there should be any further consultation on specific issues arising and if there are any lessons learned to inform future consultation processes.

I launched the public consultation on the auto-enrolment reform on 22nd August and this will run to 4th November. In addition to accepting written submissions consultation fora are being hosted in Dublin, Cork and Galway.

Subject to the analysis that is now underway, I do not propose to delay the progress that is being made to make our pension system fairer. As I have set out, consultation on these reforms dates back to 2007 so there has been no lack of consultation or debate. In addition the reforms will be introduced through the standard democratic process, and the policy choices will, I believe, be broadly debated by members of the Oireachtas including, I expect, during pre-legislative scrutiny.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.