Results 621-640 of 1,042,446 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Josepha Madigan OR speaker:Paul Murphy OR speaker:David Cullinane) in 'Committee meetings'

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Catherine Connolly: So I understand.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: Two out of three is even better.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Mary Butler: Two out of three ain't bad.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Beidh sos beag againn.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Cuireadh an Dáil ar fionraí ar 9.50 a.m. agus cuireadh tús leis arís ar 10.01 a.m. Sitting suspended at 9.50 a.m. and resumed at 10.01 a.m.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Seán Sherlock: First, I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, on his appointment. I am sure his relations in Mitchelstown, Baile an Mhistéalaigh, will be very proud of his elevation.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: They are indeed.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Seán Sherlock: I will quote for the record the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, who replied to a Topical Issue on this subject when Deputy Duncan Smith and I raised it 12 months ago: on 9 March 2023, An Post wrote to the Department seeking consent to the second phase of their current pay agreement which provides for a 2% increase in pay from 1 January 2023. In addition to this, on foot of a recent...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I thank both Deputies for their kind wishes. I appreciate them. In response to Deputy Sherlock, John, Billy and Auntie Alice O'Brien and all the Mitchelstown clan are very proud indeed of my appointment. I thank him for acknowledging them. I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on this matter. I have not had sight of the response the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Seán Sherlock: This is a paraphrasing of the same reply we received 12 months ago, in essence, using NewERA and saying it is kicking the tyres on this 12 months later. Does it take 12 months for NewERA to kick the tyres on such a proposal? The members of the scheme want and are entitled to answers. We want certainty from the Government on whether this will be paid.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Duncan Smith: The response, which is very similar to the response received 12 months ago, mentions section 46 setting a minimum level of parity between the An Post scheme and the scheme that applied to staff members as it stood on the day and that it does not provide that the conditions in the An Post scheme "must continue to match any subsequent improvements in pension conditions". However, as the former...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I have listened with interest to the Members’ responses. I appreciate and understand the degree of frustration the Deputies and those they represent feel. I will take this away, read into it further and revert to them. The one point I will make is that I am told An Post engaged with the Department in April 2024 and again in June 2024 seeking approval for these increases. On that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Seán Sherlock: I am happy to clarify. The reply from the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, stated exactly the same thing in 2023.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: April and June 2024 are after 2023, not to state the obvious, so there has obviously been some progress in that time at least.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Seán Sherlock: The workers have not been paid.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: They have not been paid, but their paymaster has now engaged with the Department, which seems to be progress. They cannot be paid without someone asking for them to be paid and someone else approving that. There is a workflow and some of the steps, I am told, were only taken in April and June 2024.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

Seán Sherlock: It is an undue delay, to be fair, by any administrative standards.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: That is since June 2024, when the question was received from An Post. I hear the Members' points. I am not abreast of the issue of the class D PRSI contributions, but perhaps the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, could advise on that issue, which was raised by Deputy Duncan Smith. I understand there are frustrations and I share the Deputies' admiration of the post...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Airport Policy (3 Jul 2024)

David Cullinane: I commend the Minister of State on his appointment and thank him for taking this Topical Issue. The problem is that this has been an issue for the better part of ten years. I know that, in reality, this was substantially moved in June 2019 when former Minister, Shane Ross, and the Cabinet signed off on a proposal for €5 million. I accept the costs have escalated since. One of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Airport Policy (3 Jul 2024)

James Lawless: I thank the Deputy. A couple of matters arise. He characterised this as not quite a six-year delay, but a five-year delay from 2019 to 2024. It is fairer to say that it is a six-month engagement, given that a business proposal was received by the Department in December 2023. Elements were missing from that, which required revisiting in April 2024 and further information was received at...