Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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234. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his current plans to advance the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 currently at committee stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23144/26]

Conor Sheehan (Limerick City, Labour)
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236. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment for an update on the legislative passage of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 202; when the Bill will receive a money message; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23165/26]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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238. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the aims of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; if work is ongoing within his Department with regard to achieving the same objectives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23197/26]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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239. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the position regarding any research carried out by his Department into the aims of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021; if any consideration ongoing into providing for similar measures that are set out in this Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23198/26]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 234, 236, 238 and 239 together.

The purpose of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 is to amend and extend certain rights and protections for retired persons and representative associations in the context of industrial relations and trade disputes.

Specifically, it proposes amendments to the Trade Union Acts 1871 to 1990, the Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2019, and the Pensions Act 1990. The Bill seeks to enhance the representation of retired workers in the administration of certain pension schemes and to address related matters.

The Bill is currently at Committee Stage in the legislative process. Matters under consideration at this stage are subject to Cabinet confidentiality and therefore it would not be appropriate for me to comment on prospective next steps.

The Government does not support the Private Members’ Bill in its current form. The proposed amendments are considered to fundamentally undermine the core principles of industrial relations, which are inherently based on the relationship between workers and their employers.

Please note that the position of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment was clearly articulated in a comprehensive briefing submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment, following its public scrutiny session held on 25 January 2023.

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.