Waterford Crystal workers have still not got their pensions

Waterford Crystal workers have still not received their pensions despite agreement last December following a lengthy legal battle, the Dáil has heard.

Labour TD Ciara Conway expressed frustration that even though lump-sum payments totalling €45 million had been received during the summer months, those who had reached 66 were still not receiving their pension payments.

Demanding to know the reason for the delay, the Waterford TD also said 44 workers had died since the legal case for pension entitlements had begun and families of the deceased had yet to receive payments even though it was agreed in the settlement.

One worker, Tommy Allen, received his lump sum in recent weeks, just a week before he died, she said. Waterford Crystal workers brought a case for pension entitlements after the company and its pension scheme went into insolvency. Following a decision in their favour at the European Court of Justice, the case was sent to the Irish courts for settlement with agreement on €182 million as compensation.

It involved 1,774 scheme members with a lump-sum payment of €1,200 for every year of service and a fortnightly pension payment. Ms Conway said many of the relatives of the deceased were in their 80s and as well as coping with bereavement “they do not have the wherewithal to keep chasing down what is rightfully theirs”.

The Government backbencher said staff of the Department of Social Protection "have been brilliant", but she questioned the commitment of other departments and said: "I cannot go back down to Waterford this weekend without better information."

Minister of State for Social Protection Kevin Humphreys said arrangements were being finalised to make payments to some 20 families of workers who had not reached pensionable age when they died and this would be done by late November or early December.

Some 250 deceased pension scheme members had reached retirement age after the scheme was wound up.

Mr Humphreys said his department had engaged with the departments of Finance and Public Expenditure “as a matter of urgency” to put the necessary payments system in place.