Government speaking out of both sides of mouth on CE pensions

I worked for 15 years as a Community Employment (CE) scheme supervisor and I knew many supervisors who retired at 66 and were left with just the state pension while the managers in Fás walked away with large pensions and, I imagine, lump sums.

All Fás CE Scheme were instructed by the State to register as a limited company or lose funding. Prior to this, each scheme was registered as the employer with the Revenue Commissioners.

The Minister says that the State can’t be expected to fund the pensions of private companies. But how come then that widows, lone parents, and others on social welfare payments lose their payments when the begin work on a scheme?

They are employed by the sponsors of the scheme. So why is their payment considered to be a second social welfare payment? Note the contradictions here.

It’s a private company when the State doesn’t want to provide a pension for the supervisors. It’s a social welfare payment when they the Sate wants to avoid giving two payments to the participants.

Ann Keevans

Ballycullane

New Ross

Co Wexford