Written answers
Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Public Sector Pensions
Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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187. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform for an update on the long-awaited increase to pensions for former An Post workers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39570/23]
Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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189. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to grant approval for the increase in pensions and deferred pensions for members of the An Post superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39596/23]
Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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190. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he proposes to approve the Labour Court recommended increase in pension entitlements for An Post pensioners who have been due pension increases from 1 January 2022 and further increases from January 2023 and July 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39621/23]
Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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191. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when approval will issue on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39648/23]
Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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192. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the pension increases for An Post pensioners, approved by the Labour Court in January 2023, will be approved by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39650/23]
Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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194. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform pursuant to a Labour Court recommendation (details supplied), for a status update on the process to increase pensions in payment to all pensioners in the An Post superannuation scheme; the timeline for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39686/23]
Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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198. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will take steps to approve the long-awaited pension increase for An Post pensioners (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39700/23]
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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200. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when An Post pensioners will receive long-delayed increases to their pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39724/23]
Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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201. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if, given that the 7,000 An Post pensioners awaiting increases to their pension have been left waiting for nearly nine months for same, he will provide the final approval to allow these increases to take effect as a matter of urgency (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39782/23]
Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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203. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department has approved the An Post pension increases as approved by the Labour Court in January 2023; what date will payment of approved increases be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39886/23]
Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he will provide the necessary Ministerial approval to increase pensions and deferred pensions for members of the An Post superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39983/23]
Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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206. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when approval will be given to allow communication workers to access pension increases as approved by the Labour Court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40011/23]
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 187, 189, 190, 191, 192, 194, 198, 200, 201, 203, 205 and 206 together.
Under the rules of the An Post Main Superannuation Scheme pension increases are subject to the authorisation of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications given with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.
On 9 March 2023 An Post wrote to the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications requesting Ministerial approval for three increases to pensions under the Scheme. The Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications wrote to this Department on 29 August requesting my consent for the increases.
The increases concerned are:
I. 5.0% increase effective from 1 January 2022
II. 2.0% increase effective from 1 January 2023
III. 1.0% increase effective from 1 July 2023
I gave my consent for the increases on 8th September 2023 and this has been communicated to the Department for the Environment, Climate and Communications.
The payment of the increases is now a matter for the trustees and administrators of the An Post Superannuation Scheme.
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