Pensions

Conference calls upon the Government to act decisively and without further delay to protect defined benefit pension schemes and to move towards universal occupational pensions coverage via mandatory tripartite savings schemes. It considers that it is unacceptable that people who have made every reasonable effort to provide for their retirement can be left either with a reduced pension or no pension at all. Given that extensive discussions have taken place to identify short and long term solutions it is now time to act. As regards the State provided old age pension Conference calls for the reasonable expectations of people to be recognised and demands that: changes in the age eligibility criterion be phased in over a longer time period;  changes in the criteria governing full pension entitlement, which disproportionately affect women, should not be implemented. Executive Council