Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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109. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the details of pension entitlements in place for community employment scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors including plans to integrate with the future system of auto-enrolment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5397/22]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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As the Deputy will be aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme.

At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the valuable and dedicated service that CE supervisors provide in running CE schemes in delivering local based community services while providing a valuable training and development opportunity to the long-term unemployed and to those often furthest removed from the labour market.

I am pleased that agreement was recently reached between the Department of Social Protection and unions representing CE supervisors and assistant supervisors that resolves this long standing issue through the payment of an once off ex-gratia payment to eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors. On the 23rd December, both unions involved confirmed acceptance of this settlement which will benefit over 2,200 people employed by CE schemes going back to 2008. It is estimated to have a total cost of over €24 million.

Under the terms of this settlement, on reaching retirement age, eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors will receive a once off ex-gratia payment in respect of time employed by CE schemes since 2008. People who retired since 2008 and who have reached retirement age will be able to apply for payments immediately when the scheme is in place. The ex-gratia payment provides for 2 weeks pay per year of service or part thereof in the qualifying period. The calculation will be based on the salary point of the CE supervisor or assistant supervisor on the date of retirement, subject to a cap of €600 per week.

The qualifying period for the scheme is from 1 July 2008 to 31 December 2023 and will apply to all periods of employment as a CE supervisor or assistant supervisor during that period.

The end date of the scheme as set out in the agreement is aligned with the start date of an auto enrolment (AE) pension system, currently in design. However, any future integration of this scheme with AE will be subject of further discussion with the unions concerned and these discussions will be undertaken when the operation of AE is in place.

The Department of Social Protection will now work to put in place the administrative arrangements to implement the agreed settlement so that payments will issue to qualified CE workers in 2022. The intention is to develop an online application facility for this purpose.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.