Social Protection | To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she is aware of the concerns of community employment supervisors in respect of their pensions

To ask the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which she is aware of the concerns of community employment supervisors in respect of their pensions; if the matter will be considered as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

As the Deputy is aware, following complex and detailed discussions between the Department of Social Protection and unions representing CE supervisors and a subsequent ballot of union members, an agreement was reached late in 2021 that resolved issues arising from a 2008 Labour Court recommendation on CE supervisor pensions.

Both Minister Humphreys and I were very pleased that this settlement brought this difficult issue to a conclusion in a fair and balanced manner. 

The total cost of the settlement is over €24 million which will be paid to individual beneficiaries by the Department of Social Protection. 

Generally, under the terms of this settlement, on reaching retirement age, eligible CE supervisors and assistant supervisors will receive a once off ex-gratia payment in respect of time employed by CE schemes since 2008.  People who retired since 2008 and who have reached retirement age will be able to apply for payments immediately when the scheme is in place. 

Eligible supervisors and assistant supervisors will be required to submit an application to the department to confirm that they satisfy the terms of the settlement as agreed and to ensure that all payment details are in order. 

I can assure the Deputy that my Department officials are currently working on the administrative arrangements to implement the agreed settlement so that payments can start to issue to qualified CE workers.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.