Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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247. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this Bill is supported by an organisation (details supplied); if he will make a commitment to progress the Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36442/24]

Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Private Members Bill cannot be supported by Government as the proposed changes would fundamentally undermine the very concept of industrial relations, a process essentially involving workers and their employers. My Department’s position was clearly set out in a detailed brief provided to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment following its pubic session scrutiny of the Bill on 25 January 2023. There has been no further correspondence from the Committee in relation to the Bill. As a Private Members Bill, it is a matter for the sponsoring deputies to progress the Bill.

My Department’s position is that any amendment to the legislation governing the rights of retired persons is not an industrial relations issue but is a matter for the Department of Social Protection.

Currently, in the context of any changes to pension benefits payable from a scheme, the employer and the trustees of a pension scheme are required to notify scheme members, beneficiaries and authorised trade unions. Changes made to the Occupational Pension Schemes Regulations in 2015 require trustees to also notify groups representing the interests of pensioners and deferred scheme members in these situations. This affords the representative groups an opportunity to make a submission to the trustees of a pension scheme in advance of any proposed changes taking effect.

No case can, or should, be referred to the workplace relations bodies that comes within the remit of the Pension Ombudsman. The role of the Pensions Ombudsman, within the meaning of the Pensions Act, is to act in an independent and impartial means of resolving complaints alleging financial loss occasioned by an act of maladministration and disputes of fact or law in relation to occupational pensions schemes and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts.