Bríd Smith demands minister sign SI to raise CIE pensions
Bríd Smith pressed the minister to sign a statutory instrument to increase CIE worker pensions from €130 to €160 a week and criticised government delay. She argued the €30 weekly rise is vital for workers who have spent their lives driving buses and trains and demanded the measure be signed off immediately.
Pension increase sought
Bríd Smith reminded the Dáil that currently a CIE worker takes home a pension of €130 a week and that the proposed statutory instrument would raise that pension to €160, an increase of €30 per week. She said the rise matters deeply to long-serving drivers and rail staff and accused the Government of treating workers with "disdain and disgust."
Pension schemes and trustees
A Department representative outlined that the CIE Group operates two pension schemes - the Regular Wages Scheme and the 1951 Superannuation Scheme - and said issues are primarily for the trustees, the CIE Group and employees. The representative explained that CIE is working to address a significant deficit to meet the minimum funding standard required by the Pensions Authority.
Consultation, ballots and statutory steps
The Department noted that a ballot of RWS members on a Workplace Relations Commission proposal in June 2020 was carried by 83% of voters and that the proposed changes were agreed by trustees, employees and the CIE Group after prolonged engagement. Draft statutory instruments were prepared and submitted to the Department; the Transport Act requires consultation with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and a publication in Irish Oifiguil for a consultation period of not less than 28 days, after which objections must be considered.
Timeline and departmental work
Officials, with advisers from New Era, said they have been working on the draft SIs as expeditiously as possible and expressed hope to be in a position to confirm the schemes in early 2022. Bríd Smith rejected that timetable as insufficient, saying the SI should have been signed earlier this year and urging the minister to act as soon as possible.
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I want to thank Deputy Duncan Smith for allowing me to raise this very important issue as we hurtle towards Christmas. I think five times this year I have asked the Minister for Transport if and when he will sign the statutory instrument that will allow for an improved pension for CIE workers. I will just remind everybody that currently a CIE worker takes home a pension of €130 a week. If the Minister would sign this statutory instrument it would raise that pension to €160. It may not seem much to a Minister or a TD but it means a huge amount to those workers who spend a life driving buses, trains etc. Can the Minister please address this? Thank you Deputy. I am taking this on behalf of Minister Ryan. I would like to thank you for your question and the opportunity to update you all on the status of my Department's work on the CIE. As many of you are aware, the CIE Group has two pension schemes, namely the Regular Wages Scheme and the 1951 Superannuation Scheme. Issues in relation to the schemes are primarily a matter for the trustees of the scheme, the CIE Group and their employees. The CIE Group is actively engaged in introducing changes to both schemes aimed at rectifying the significant deficit in order to meet the statutory minimum funding standard required by the Pensions Authority. A ballot of RWS members on a Workplace Relations Commission proposal took place in June 2020 and was carried by 83 per cent of those who voted. The proposed changes were agreed by the trustees of the scheme and the employees and the CIE Group following extensive and prolonged engagement between all parties. Following this process, CIE prepared and submitted draft statutory instruments to my Department to give effect to the proposed amendments to establish a new defined contribution scheme and to consolidate the existing SIs comprising the main scheme. These changes involve significant amendments which are necessary to address the minimum funding standard requirements. There are a number of steps involved before a statutory instrument can be made, including the statutory consultation process. Further, under the Transport Act, Minister Ryan must consult with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in relation to any amendments to CIE pension schemes. I can advise that this consultation is underway, and I expect that the details will be settled shortly. Once the final details have been settled, we will direct CIE to publish the amending schedule schemes in Irish Oeffigul for a consultation period of not less than 28 days as required under the Transport Act. The Minister must then consider any objections or representations which have been made during this period prior to confirming a scheme or any amendments to such schemes. I am not in a position to comment on proposed aspects of the scheme prior to the approval of both Ministers and subsequent publication as part of the statutory consultation process. I would like to take this opportunity to again reassure the Deputy that officials in my Department, in conjunction with the advisers from New Era, have been working on the draft SIs as expeditiously as possible. In this context, we hope to be in a position to confirm the schemes in early 2022. I was told it would be confirmed in September five times this year I have asked about it. It is €30 a week to a CIE worker. It is not a patch on the pension you or other Ministers will get. This is not good enough. We are treating workers with disdain and disgust. That SI should have been signed off earlier this year, and it needs to be done ASAP. For more param Peru courses, we will be introduced after the consistent construction . At this point, if you are having any assistance to procure. With the
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