Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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121. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is aware that the increase given to retired An Post pensioners in January of 2024 has still not gone into payment; the steps he has taken to ensure that these pensioners get their rise; and when the payment is expected to issue. [41087/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Under section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, approves any superannuation schemes submitted by An Post.

The request for consent for amendment to the An Post Superannuation scheme to increase payments by 2% with effect from January 2024, has been approved by the Minister for the Environment Climate and Communications (MECC). As such, the request now requires consent from the Minister of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (MPENDR). This is in line with both the Code of Practice for State Bodies and transfer of powers from Minister of Finance to MPENDR which are contained under Section 46(6) of the Postal and Telecommunications Act 1983.

A business case has been submitted to DPENDR seeking MPENDR’s consent for the amendment to the An Post scheme. It is not possible, at this point, to set out the specific timeframe within which the decision-making process will be concluded. It should be recognised that the time taken for the pension approval process is necessary to ensure that robust governance procedures are in place.