Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

405 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 406provision of \24.858 million for TG4. Decisionsin relation to the commissioning of programmesare a matter for TG4. I have no role in the matter.Postal Services.171. Mr. Andrews asked the Minister forCommunications, Marine and Natural Resourceshis views on the failure of An Post managementto allow the same pension increase to formeremployees as is being negotiated for existingstaff. [5590/05]Minister for Communications, Marine andNatural Resources (Mr. N. Dempsey): I refer theDeputy to my reply to Question No. 268 of 8February 2005.The authority to implement pension increaseswas delegated to An Post, subject to certain conditions,as this activity was considered part of theday-to-day operations of the company. In practicethis allowed the company to implement pensionincreases following pay increases to employees.However, decisions outside the scope of the originaldelegated authority still require the consentof both the Minister for Communications, Marineand Natural Resources and the Minister forFinance.Following a proposal from the board of AnPost to amend the existing pension increase termsof An Post, in this instance, my Department andthe Department of Finance undertook a reviewof the situation. While I fully empathise with AnPost pensioners for the position they find themselvesin due to the failure of An Post managementand unions to reach agreement on implementationof the recovery strategy, the wideroverall policy issues raised by the proposal fromAn Post also need to be considered.By way of background and as the Deputy maybe aware, the existing terms of the An Post superannuationscheme provide for pay parity, that is,that pensions are increased in line with the payof serving staff. This is in accordance with publicservice defined benefit pension increase policygenerally, pay parity being an integral and wellestablished practice which is widely applied inpublic service defined benefit pension schemes.Unfortunately, following examination of theissue and taking into consideration the implicationsof providing a precedent which couldimpact adversely on the cost of pensions in thewider public sector and the existing practice ofpay parity, increases to pensioners of An Postlinked to increases under Sustaining Progress arenot possible at this time.While I understand the current frustration ofAn Post pensioners with the situation, agreementin partnership with An Post unions to the restructuringplan aimed at securing the future of thecompany and providing sustainable long-termemployment for An Post workers is the way forward.With this in mind, I have urged both theunions and the management of An Post to engagefully with the industrial relations mechanisms ofthe State to agree a way forward for the future ofthe company and all stakeholders in this matter.Foreshore Licences.172. Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister forCommunications, Marine and Natural Resourceswhen a foreshore licence regarding the proposednew sewerage system at Cheekpoint, CountyWaterford, will be granted; and if he will make astatement on the matter. [5591/05]Minister of State at the Department ofCommunications, Marine and Natural Resources(Mr. Gallagher): Subsequent to making an applicationto the Department for a foreshore licencefor the Cheekpoint waste water treatment plant,Waterford County Council discovered that, dueto increasing siltation problems, the storm wateroverflow pipe would not have worked effectivelyat the location originally proposed for it. Consequently,the local authority put revised proposals,involving relocation of the overflow pipe, to theDepartment.The revised proposals were put to public consultationin December last. The submissionsreceived, together with the county council’sresponses to them, received by the Departmenton 19 January, have been examined by theDepartment’s engineering division. The matterwill now be put before the next meeting of themarine licence vetting committee, an expertgroup that advises me on proposals of this nature.I understand the issues to be considered by thecommittee in this case will include possibleimpacts on fishing and fisheries as well as possibleimplications for the navigation channel for theport of Waterford. A decision on the countycouncil’s proposals will be made as soon as possibleafter the marine licence vetting committeehas completed its consideration of theapplication.Harbour Authorities.173. Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister forCommunications, Marine and Natural Resourceswhen a representative of the workers will beappointed to the port of Waterford; and if he willmake a statement on the matter. [5602/05]Minister of State at the Department ofCommunications, Marine and Natural Resources(Mr. Gallagher): The appointment of anemployee director of the Port of Waterford companyfalls to be made by me in accordance withthe procedure laid down in section 30 of the HarboursAct 1996. The legislation provides thatbefore making the appointment I shall consultany recognised trade union or staff associationconcerned which, following such consultation,may recommend that I consider that a particularperson be appointed as a director of the company.This statutory consultation process is completeand I will be making the appointment in thenear future.