93. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection if his attention has been drawn to the classification of employees of State and semi-State bodies (details supplied). [39838/25]

Sentiment score: 0.00

I am frustrated by the Minister's answer on the pensioners who have worked in An Post for decades who are being given a reduced pension. It is an incredibly serious issue. It determines the standard of living these pensioners have. Given the Minister's previous answer on this matter, it seems like he is outsourcing a decision to the High Court. It is the responsibility of the Government to set out the rights of pensioners clearly. It is wrong for the Government to come in here and tell the House that the High Court will sort out this particular misclassification. Will the Government take responsibility for this classification problem?

Sentiment score: -0.11

There is currently a case before the High Court. The Minister is in charge of the law at the moment. He quoted the Act determining the situation. There is confusion about the Act. It is obviously not doing what it is meant to do in clearly delineating the different responsibilities people have under the different classes. That is a problem. The Minister is handing over the decision-making process to the court. He could change the law to clear up the current position. An Post is also a semi-State organisation and operates under the Government's policy and law. Scope is a State agency. It operates under the Government's policy and law. It is the Government's pension law in question that is problematic. I have no doubt that this will last for years; these men and women will find themselves before the High Court in two, three or four years' time. Some will have to pay costs, which can be extremely high, having taken cases against a semi-State organisation.

Sentiment score: -0.07

If this was an isolated incident, there would be some excuse for it. The truth of the matter is that we know there are dozens, potentially hundreds, of people who will be affected by this. Regarding An Post, a group of retired workers had to hold a national day of action in Dublin before the Dáil broke for its summer recess to protest the unfair pension cap. It was put in place due to the financial crisis in 2008. I understand, admit and accept this is a separate case to the case we have discussed, but in this situation pensioners have had their pensions significantly reduced because of an emergency action taken after the 2008 crisis. Other emergency restrictions imposed on public services were removed many years ago, yet these men and women, aged in their 70s and 80s, are suffering from financial hardship because of the cap. I ask the Minister to look into that particular issue.

Sentiment score: -0.44