Auto-enrolment is a significant change for people who are in employment and preparing for pensions. It has been up and running since the beginning of the year, as the Minister will be aware, and the first pay packs are arriving in. It is very visible there. Can the Minister give an outline of the number of people who are registered at this point, and, in particular, the figures for Cork?
Sentiment score: 0.04
With more than 760,000 people to be enrolled across the country, and I hear the figure of more than 75,000 people in County Cork, are they all registered and up and running on it or are gaps emerging in places where employers have not registered and people are not yet registered for various reasons? If gaps are emerging, can the Minister outline where they are and if they are in particular sectors or concern large or small employers? Can the Minister please give an overview on this?
Sentiment score: 0.11
In relation to the gaps emerging, it would be interesting to know if these are in particular sectors or geographical, if there is a little bit more information on this, as well as how quickly, or otherwise, the gaps might be closing. The Minister might not have the information now, so it is okay if he is able to send it on afterwards. I have been discussing this with people locally and a number of different issues have been emerging. For example, where people are not registered but will be at some stage in the future, there will be a catch-up time. This is because there would be an expectation that 1 January payments would be made. Would a lump sum be taken from a pay packet on the first one if a catch-up is being done? A second issue has to do with a means test and if somebody's situation changes in the future. People are asking me whether, if they are applying for a county council grant to repair the roof or whatever it might be in ten or 15 years' time, the lump sum in question, perhaps from a pension fund, will be taken into account as part of a means test. These are the kinds of questions people have been asking and I would like to get clarity on them, please.
Sentiment score: 0.22