Paschal Donohoe says protests outside his home ‘unacceptable’

Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe has said any protests outside his home in Dublin are "unacceptable" and a matter for An Garda Síochána.

He was responding to a scheduled picket of his home in Phibsborough on Monday by deferred members of the Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (IASS), the biggest group affected by the row over pensions at Aer Lingus and the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).

“I want to say again that targeting the home of any politician is absolutely unacceptable,’’ Mr Donohoe said.

“It will not play any role at all in influencing any decision that I make, and I will continue to make decisions that are in the best interests of the country and the people I represent.’’

The IASS members said the protest was important, given the speculation about a takeover of Aer Lingus. They were campaigning for justice “after the implementation of the savage expert panel cuts to their entitlements’’.

The group warned it would continue with “similar activities until this Government addresses our dire circumstances or we succeed in getting them to repeal the 2009 Social Welfare and Pensions Act with the support of Unite’’.

Aer Lingus and the DAA jointly operate the pension scheme, which the Pensions Authority has approved proposals to tackle an estimated €750 million deficit in.

The proposals included a section 50 application, which resulted in a reduction of the pensions paid to retired workers drawing income from the scheme. This is the first use of new legislation that allows such clawbacks from pensioners where a fund is insolvent.

The protesters say Mr Donohoe has recognised the difficulties they face following the implementation of the cuts to the scheme but that he has chosen not to address the issue.